Dishi na County workers protest delayed salaries, unexplained deductions
The staff received Sh17,000 for February instead of their usual Sh18,000, leaving them confused as midterm breaks had never affected their wages in the past.
Workers under Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja’s Dishi na County programme staged protests over delayed salaries and unexplained deductions, demanding answers from the county government.
Gathering outside the governor’s office on Wednesday, the workers, both men and women dressed in Food for Education uniforms, endured the scorching sun as they sought an audience with Sakaja.
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Speaking to Eastleigh Voice, one of the staff members said salary delays had never occurred before.
He added that the issue began when a subcontracted human resource firm informed them they would not receive their full pay.
“We have been contracted by the Food 4 Education company, but they have another company that oversees human resource matters,” the worker explained.
“They told us that since there was a midterm break in February, we won’t get full salary.”
Dishi na County workers protesting outside City Hall, Nairobi on March 5, 2025. (Photo: Maureen Kinyanjui)
The staff received Sh17,000 for February instead of their usual Sh18,000, leaving them confused as midterm breaks had never affected their wages in the past.
“We are asking Sakaja to look into the matter. Maybe he is not aware of what is going on with the staff working for his programme,” another worker said.
Although Sakaja did not meet the protesters, Acting County Secretary Godfrey Akumali advised them to submit a formal letter listing their grievances.
Meanwhile, the Dishi na County programme is facing scrutiny after the Auditor-General flagged irregularities in fund management.
In her 2023-2024 audit report presented to the County Assembly, Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu revealed that Sh145,725,000 donated by the French Embassy for the programme could not be traced.
The funds, announced in September 2023 by French Minister of State for Development Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, were deposited directly into the Food for Education account instead of the county’s accounts.
“The audit could not ascertain the accountability for these funds. In addition, there were no established measures by the County Executive regarding the management of the donations received, as there were no guidelines in place for handling such donations,” the report states.
Gathungu also noted that the county had no formal agreement with Food for Education, raising concerns about how the organisation was engaged to run the programme.
The county was supposed to pay Sh25 per plate for school meals, but despite parental contributions, it still paid the full amount instead of Sh20.
This led to an overpayment, with the implementer earning Sh30 per plate instead of the agreed Sh25.
This is not the first time the programme’s finances have been questioned.
Last year, the County Health Committee raised concerns over donation management when Health CEC Susan Silantoi and Food for Education CEO Wawira Njiru failed to provide clear details on how funds were handled.
Silantoi had promised a policy framework on the programme’s implementation, but it has yet to be tabled.
Launched in June 2023, the Dishi na County programme initially operated with ten central kitchens serving meals from August 28, 2023.
By January 2024, ten more kitchens were opened, feeding 184,000 children daily. Currently, the programme serves 310,000 pupils, with numbers expected to rise in the third term.
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