NHA workers protest over salaries
FURIOUS employees at the National Housing Authority (NHA) yesterday protested over nonpayment of salaries for one year and called for the immediate removal of the entire management for allegedly bringing problems to the parastatal organisation.
The angry workers have vowed not to go back for work until they were paid.
NHA Plant and Workshop Union representative, Emmanuel Banda, told the Daily Nation in an interview that management at the institution must immediately be replaced if they refused to resign as they had failed to manage the establishment.
Mr Banda said that the workers were further demanding for the reinstatement of their union leader, Mr Joseph Siakantu, who was fired for allegedly championing the workers’ grievances to management.
He said it was sad that management had decided to take the route of intimidation in addressing the workers plight.
“Our union president was fired because he fought for us, initially our union had 14 representatives and only 5 of us are remaining because the management is getting rid of anyone who fights for workers and questions management on why they have not paid us salaries for 12 months now,” Mr Banda said.
The workers who complained of only being able to access their money in form of salary advances said they were unable to support themselves and their families.
“We can only access little monies, maybe a K500 and that is maybe after two months or so but we know that these people who are in management are getting paid, ”one of the workers said.
And representatives from management refused to address the protestors.
Last year Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development, Ronald Chitotela, revealed that the Ministry had secured K4 Million from the Ministry of Finance to settle outstanding salaries and allowances at NHA and ushered in a new board to improve operations.
This is not the first time the institution had been dogged with protests regarding payment of salaries.