A private company contracted to offer cleaning services to the Thika Level 5 Hospital in Kiambu County risks losing the tender after several employees lodged complaints.
In a statement issued by the Kiambu Department of Health Services on Sunday, April 7, the company was accused of failing to pay the cleaners despite the county disbursing funds.
The county officials emphasised that the primary responsibility of paying the hospital workers lies with the contracted company and not the County Government.
"We urge the company to expedite the payment of salaries owed to its employees immediately. Failure to do so, the County Government of Kiambu will have no option but to terminate the engagement on account of breach of contract," read part of the statement.
The county argued that if the company failed to pay the workers it was unjust to the hardworking individuals and also detrimental to the delivery of essential services at the healthcare facility.
Officials from the department assured the 6,000 county employees that their welfare was a priority and the county was working to guarantee the timely payment of salaries.
"All the employees have received their March salaries," the statement read in parts.
These complaints were raised by the cleaners who took to the streets on Sunday demanding their seven months' arrears.
On the said day, the cleaners took to the streets, further compounding the health situation already smarting from the ongoing doctors' strike.
While venting out their frustrations, the cleaners had left the facilities and key equipment unwashed and garbage piles unattended.
According to one of the cleaners, all efforts to resolve the matter amicably had failed adding that officials from the company and the county government had not responded to their enquiries.
Additionally, some complained that they had been left homeless after failing to pay their rent over the months. Some were also struggling to pay school fees for their children.
While making their voices heard, the cleaners called upon Governor Kimani Wamatangi to move with haste to resolve the matter.
Meanwhile, an official from the company, however, denied the claims that the county had channelled the funds required to facilitate the payments.
