Nairobi Water Workers Retirees Announce December 2 Protests Over Sh4 Billion Pension Arrears

By Eunice WAWUDA

Retired and current employees of the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) have threatened to hold mass demonstrations in the capital beginning December 2 to demand the payment of more than Sh4 billion in pension arrears.

Speaking during a press briefing at the Water Services Workers Union offices in Nairobi, the workers accused both the Nairobi County Government and the NCWSC of failing to address the long-standing issue despite numerous appeals. They said the government has ignored their pleas, leaving many retirees struggling without their rightful benefits.

Through their lobby group, the County Pensioners’ Association (CPA), the retirees condemned what they termed as gross mismanagement at the Nairobi Water Company, saying poor leadership has contributed to the persistent delay in settling pension obligations.

“We are dying. Our people are dying without their pension, we worked with our own hands, we gave our lives to public service, but we are now dying poor,” said Peter Njihia, a representative of Nairobi Water pensioners.

According to the union, Nairobi Water owes Sh2.6 billion to Laptrust, Sh900 million to Lapfund, and Sh500 million to the County Pension Fund.

Water Services Workers Union, National General Secretary Matilda Kimeto said that much of the debt represents money deducted from salaries but never remitted.

“This is literally employees’ salaries; they deducted the money and never sent it to the pension houses. People retired with peanuts. Now they are dying,” said Kimeto.

The association vowed to mobilise large numbers of workers and retirees to take to the streets if the arrears are not paid, insisting that the December 2 demonstrations will mark the beginning of sustained action until their benefits are released.

They urged the government to act swiftly, warning that continued neglect would only escalate tensions and disrupt essential services as affected workers push for justice.

The union accuses Nairobi Water’s management and board of mischief, claiming they stopped a Sh3.5 million daily standing order in 2022 that had been agreed upon in 2016 to pay both current contributions and clear arrears.

With this arrangement halted, interest and penalties have been accumulating at a rate that she says now exceeds what a bank loan would have cost.

The union says a bank loan to clear the debt had been fully processed and approved, awaiting only the county assembly’s endorsement.

“We waited seven, eight years for that bank loan to be completed; it would have cleared the debt by 2023. But the governor came up with another arrangement and left ours hanging. There is no goodwill,” said Kimeto.

In an effort to compel the National Treasury and Nairobi County to act, the retirees and the Water Services Workers Union announced a three-day picket from December 2 to 4, accusing Nairobi Water management of ignoring repeated attempts to resolve the matter.

In a letter dated April 3, 2025, addressed to the managing director of Nairobi Water company by Charles Kerich, who is the county executive committee member for finance and economic planning affairs at Nairobi County, Kerich noted, then that, the Nairobi City County Government had initiated talks with the National Government settlement of debts owed to the County in the form of land compensation, Contribution instead of Rates (CILOR), and Parking. But nothing has moved since.

“Part of the proceeds will be used for a net-of ‘with debts owed by the County to National Government agencies, MDAs, and affiliate organizations.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that Nairobi City County intends to include debts owed by Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company to pension schemes in the debt net-off arrangement. Please provide a detailed breakdown of the Company’s debts to the Local Authorities Pension Trust (Laptrust) for possible inclusion,” noted Kerich.