Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has come out to defend her administration for spending Sh4 million to provide breakfast for revenue collectors.
Waiguru said she has no apologies to make for spending the amount, stating that revenue collectors in her county work outside normal office hours.
“The Sh4 million people are talking about is the total amount for the entire year for our revenue collectors. They have to be at the market at 4 am when lorries are coming in to collect goods and then you tell me I cannot give them breakfast. I have no apologies to make because I want them to work,” she stated.
Waiguru further noted that the revenue collectors earn a
paltry Sh15,000 per month.
“I look at them and tell them I would like to increase their salaries but my hand are tied because they work from 4 am and then there are those who remain in marketplaces until 10 pm, I have to have a little consideration. Surely, the least you can give them is a little allowance,” she explained.
Waiguru added that she is the kind of boss who pushes her staff very hard but remains fair to them.
“I push people very hard by the way, but I am a fair boss. If you want breakfast because you’re working late or early, I will provide it so that work is done,” she added.
“These revenue collectors earn just Sh15,000 per person and I ask them to collect revenue to get to Sh700 million. It is 4 am and you are asleep in your bed while these people with only a salary of Sh15,000 are out there. We must be fair to our staff.”
The County Public Accounts Committee chair Senator Moses Kajwang had earlier on put the county on the spot for spending Sh4 million for breakfast.
“Your systems are already automated, you would expect that you do not need a lot of manual labour,” he said.
The committee demanded a list of all revenue collectors who were provided with the breakfast.
