PANDEMONIUM AS KIANDUTU YOUTH CRASH WITH NYS STAFF OVER EMPLOYMENT!

Youths engaging NYS team in verbal shout outs this morning

It was all chaos at the Kiandutu NYS quarters this after a group of youths protested the re-engangement of their employment contracts with The NYS Slum Programme. The youth violently disrupted the signing of renewal contracts, throwing stones at the applicants and the NYS staff who were involved in the registration. The stand off, which took over five hours, prompted the NYS team to respond by attacking the protesting Kiandutu youth with rungus.

Groups of youth registering for new contracts

After disrupting the exercise that was being held at the NYS grounds, the youth went into the village and started attacking those who were already working. The victims had to run for their dear lives to escape the wrath of the angry youth. Some went on to raid the kitchens, making away with the food and utensils.
It took the intervention of the police and the NYS crew to save them.

We were able to witness a number of casualties as a result of the fights. One youth is now nursing some head injuries after allegedly being hit with a club by one of the NYS officers. Others had minor cuts and swellings resulting from the stampede.

The bone of contention was the manner in which the exercise was being carried out. It was alleged that some of the group leaders and village elders were biased against Kiandutu youth. They claimed that these leaders discriminated them in favour of outsiders, especially from Kiganjo and Ngoingwa, who were able to part with a sh.2000 bribe. One elder (name withheld) was accused by the protesters of taking advantage of the situation to solicit the bribes. Those who were unable to raise the amount found themselves jobless since their contracts couldn't be renewed.

Some of the action before the eruption of violence

There were also allegations of some leaders employing 'ghost workers' who only appeared in the records but were not there physically. They are said to be pocketing this money fraudulently. Another allegation was that these corrupt leaders enrolled members of their families and relatives, leaving out poor and deserving cases. The female folks talked of some of them being asked for sexual favours in return for employment.

However, they claimed that they were not opposed to being laid off but only wanted justice to prevail. They called on the NYS leadership to intervene and ensure genuine cases were not denied their rights. They said that if at all they were to have their contracts terminated, the NYS should pay them their savings for them to move on to another venture.

By the time we went to press, the entire team were still waiting for the NYS Head Mr. Zephania Navangi Makokha to come and address the situation.