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Kenya: Warders Threaten to Go On Strike Again
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The Nation (Nairobi)
22 May 2008
Posted to the web 21 May 2008
Muchemi Wachira
Nairobi
Prison warders plan to go on strike again after the failure by the Government to pay all the 16,000-plus warders Sh10,000 for their role in quelling the post-election violence in January.
Wednesday, the prison authorities denied knowledge of the planned strike, but scoffed at the plans by the warders, saying they were only trying to seek public attention.
They said the money was meant for only 1,623 warders who were directly involved in the operation to put an end to countrywide chaos sparked by the disputed presidential election results.
"Only those who had been given powers by the Police Commissioner to do police duties are supposed to get the allowance," Prisons public relations officer Dixon Mwakazi, told the Nation.
He explained that the list of the warders who helped quell the violence was prepared by Mr Gilbert Omondi, the Commissioner of Prisons, at the request of Police Commissioner Hussein Ali.
But warders have a different opinion.
"When our colleagues were assisting the police to crush the violence, we were forced to work overtime," a prison warder who did not want to be named said.
Mr Mwakazi said working overtime was not an excuse. "Prison officers can work for 24 hours," he said.
He described those behind the move as "disgruntled fellows" whose work is to incite others.
To bring an end to last month's strike, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka ordered that the warders be paid the Sh10,000 as well as a monthly risk allowance of Sh5,000.
Warders had complained that they were left out when other security organs were given the risk allowance.
They also complained of poor housing and corruption by prisons authorities.
The strike paralysed businesses in the country's penal institutions and courts of law since warders refused to take suspects to court for the hearing or mention of their cases.
They even threatened to set free prisoners from all the country's jails.
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The Vice-President thereafter appointed a committee to look into their welfare.
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