Nairobi County staff have been instructed by their union to stay at home and withdraw their services following delays in the payment of August salaries, which the county has blamed on the National Treasury.

Kenya County Government Workers Union (KCGWU) Nairobi Branch Secretary Calvince Okello on Tuesday said the county’s failure to honour the Return-to-Work agreement had left workers unable to meet basic obligations.

“This gross contravention of the Return-to-Work agreement has made staff unable to attend to personal and family obligations, including committing to work,” said Okello.

He further advised members to scale down operations until the matter is resolved.

“We advise our members to slow down their services to the county and those unable to commute to duty to stay at home until salaries are credited to their accounts,” he added.

County Blames Treasury

The directive comes days after Nairobi County Secretary and Head of Public Service, Godfrey Akumali, issued a circular notifying staff of the delay.

He explained that the Treasury had not disbursed the equitable share revenue, which directly affected salary payments.

“This is to notify all staff that the payment of August 2025 salaries will be delayed due to the late release of the equitable share disbursement from the National Treasury,” read part of the circular dated September 9.

Akumali assured staff that efforts were underway to expedite the process.

“We fully appreciate that timely salary payment is critical in meeting personal and family obligations. Please be assured that Management is according this matter the highest priority and is actively engaging the relevant offices to ensure that salaries are credited to your accounts immediately upon release of the funds by the National Treasury,” he stated.

Regret and Assurance

The county secretary further expressed regret over the inconvenience caused, while appealing for patience.

“We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused and greatly value your patience, dedication, and continued commitment to service during this period. We remain confident that this matter will be resolved promptly. Thank you for your understanding and unwavering support,” Akumali added.

The salary delay marks the latest standoff between county employees and management, with workers citing repeated frustrations over delayed pay.

The union has maintained that staff will only resume full duties once their accounts are credited.

Nairobi City County headquarters, City Hall. PHOTO/Nairobi County.