Nairobi Gubernatorial candidate Polycarp Igathe has assured county workers that his administration would revert from the perennial retrenchments witnessed during a change in government.
Igathe, while speaking in a meeting with Nairobi Water And Sewerage Company Workers, maintained that he would not fire any workers of the county.
Instead, he promised to introduce a programme that would ensure workers older than 45 years old would secure their jobs until retirement.
The former corporate maverick also promised to accord the youth job opportunities in a system that would ensure as many individuals are employed, arguing that a country's workforce is a reflection of its population.
"I am not coming to fire older workers to just bring in new people. I am going to work with the Public Service Commission and County Public Service Board to create a new programme that infuses youth into the county. If you are 45, you continue serving until when you are retiring at 60 years.
"You have 15 years which is a long time. We will employ more. In this organisation, I am not coming to reduce employees from 3,000 to 1,700. Let the working population reflect the Kenyan population," stated Igathe.
He further noted that issues like insecurity were prevalent in the city due to the lack of employment for the youth.
The former Nairobi County Deputy Governor, therefore, promised to spearhead the commercial bargaining agreement for the city's workers.
"I can promise you if I need a clean and bright city, I understand that you require your commercial bargaining agreement concluded otherwise the city will never be clean.
"I also understand we have to look at your service. I am coming to support you and not to fire anyone," Igathe added promising to listen to the workers' needs.
In February 2022, Nairobi City workers went on a rampage accusing City Hall as well as the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) of failing to remit their statutory deductions amounting to Kshh490.5 million.
The county has more than 12,000 workers who occupy both the formal and the informal sectors of the city.
At the protest, they also claimed that the city's management had failed to maintain their facilities including lifts and clogged toilets among others.
Igathe deputized former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko in 2017.
