Over 400 women who entertained President Uhuru Kenyatta and the entire audience that attended the 54th Madaraka celebrations in Nyeri County were forced to sleep in the cold stadium after organizers failed to pay them their dues.
The women, who vigorously entertained the gathering through traditional Kikuyu songs, spent the night at Kabiruini Stadium awaiting payment from the organizers of the function who had abandoned them.
Speaking to a local news site in Nyeri town on Thursday, the women stated that they had been practicing for the past six days and had been promised Sh6,000 each after the celebrations.
The women accused the County Government of Nyeri led by Samuel Wamathai of shortchanging them explaining that they had been promised Sh6,000 each only for them to receive Sh500 which they rejected.
The ladies some of who were elderly further alleged that one of them suffered from hunger and collapsed as she had not eaten from 5:00 am on Thursday morning.
The group has now threatened to disrupt Governor Wamathai’s submission of nomination papers to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) until their dues are paid in full. They also announced that the amount would attract an interest of Sh1,000 per day if not paid immediately.
The entertainers also warned other women in other regions to be careful when offering services in government functions so that they can avoid suffering the same ordeal.
On Thursday, President Kenyatta led the nation in celebrating the 54th Madaraka day celebration in Nyeri County where he outlined some of the key achievements of his government.
Some of the projects he cited include; the Standard Gauge Railway. the connection of six million households to electricity and improving service delivery through Huduma Centres.
