More than 200 National Population and Housing Census enumerators in Kilifi are reported to have downed their tools on Tuesday, over alleged unpaid allowances.
According to the officials, the government was yet to pay them their training allowance of Ksh 2,100.
Mtwapa area Chief, Rose Kadenge, is said to have tried to calm down the officials in vain.
The enumerators further demanded that the government fulfil its promise of giving them airtime allowances and logistical support.
“We’re very disappointed because the national census is being frustrated in Kilifi because of the challenges we face. Every content supervisor was entitled to Ksh18,800 but none of these monies including allowances has been paid,” Erick Karissa lamented.
This happened as the country entered the fourth day of the exercise.
In other news, a man and his wife were on Monday, August 26, arraigned before a Kisumu court after they attacked government officials who had accompanied census officers.
The man, identified as Richard Ochieng, is said to have bit the fingers of a village elder while his wife, Florence Adeka, attacked the area acting chief with a piece of brick, injuring his thigh.
Kanyakwar acting Chief, Maurice Ojwang, revealed that the couple had chased away the enumerators on Saturday night, and were never counted, prompting him to accompany them on Sunday alongside police officers.
The two were released on a cash bail of Ksh 20,000 or a bond of Ksh 30,000 and a similar surety after they denied the charges.
