Sakaja advocates for improved wages for security guards, protection of taxi drivers

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has called for improved pay for security guards and better commission for digital-hailing taxi drivers.

In his speech during Labour Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi, Sakaja accused private security companies of mistreating their workers by underpaying them, even when the government revises the minimum wages upwards.

“Our guards spend the night at work and even work during the day, they are paid KSh 4,000 or KSh 5,000, yet you pronounce minimum wage above KSh 13,000,” Sakaja said.

The governor lamented that the guards spend nights in the cold protecting homes and property, but are paid peanuts even when their employers charge clients exorbitantly.

He said some private security companies charge between KSh 40,000- 50,000 per guard, but end up greatly underpaying them.

“Every labour day there is a pronouncement on minimum wage, sometimes it increases, sometimes it remains stagnant. Whenever you make that statement, the public sector is always quick to comply, but the private sector, tuko na shida (we have a problem).”

The governor also called on the Competition Authority of Kenya and other stakeholders to come to the rescue of taxi drivers, whom he says are poorly paid by taxi hailing companies.

 “90% of the accidents we have is because these drivers have to drive for 22 hours a day to make money. The competition authority and the Automobile Association of Kenya can come up with a pricing formula for drivers to get something better,” Sakaja said.

He said his government has set dropping and picking points for the taxi drivers within the Nairobi Central Business District to make their work easier.

President William Ruto graced this year’s Labour Day celebrations as a chief guest.