Ex-EAC workers demand their terminal dues

BY BUSINESS REPORTER

MORE than 5,000 former employees of the defunct East African Community (EAC) are demanding that the Government pay them their terminal benefits.

The employees allege that they were summarily dismissed following the collapse of EAC in 1977.

The bloc was first formed in 1967 and collapsed in 1977 before its revival recently. Member states were Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Represented by their officials, Chairman Alfred Lusuli, Secretary Jonathan Wanaswa and Martin Luteka, the former employees want the Government to pay them immediately, claiming that the British Government released their benefits way back in 1984.

"It is unfair that our colleagues in neighbouring Uganda and Tanzania have already been paid yet we are still chasing our payments," said Lusuli.

Hunger strike

He urged the Government to pay them their dues without further delays.

"This is very sad and we demand that the Government pays us or we stage a two-month hunger strike to demonstrate our dissatisfaction with the way we have been mishandled," he stated.

Lusuli said it is unfortunate that 35 years after the collapse of the original EAC, former workers are still pleading for their benefits.

Fruits of our labour

He said they have been unable to take their children to school due to financial difficulties, some have been divorced while others have died while still expecting to get their benefits.

Speaking in Bungoma Town, they called on President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga to address their grievances.

"There is no reason for the Government to continue withholding the money, we want to enjoy the fruits of our labour even in old age, " he argued.

"It is painful that we continue to suffer while Government officers are enjoying our benefits," Lusuli added.

The employees have called on the Minister for East African Community Musa Sirma to act on the matter.

"We urge Sirma to update us on what is going on to enable us understand why up to now we have not been paid," said Wanaswa.

He said it is not right for former employees to continue to suffer while no one seems interested in addressing their plight.