Security guards at Lavington Security are threatening to down their tolls over unpaid salaries dating back to three months. According to insiders, the situation has sparked outrage among guards who accuse the company of mistreatment and neglect. The disappointed guards have now given the management headed by Pius Chelimo, the Managing Director and J.K Telo a director seven days to pay their salaries or down their tools. Sources say the situation among the guards has reached crisis levels as many of them have been locked out of their homes by landlords due to rent arrears.
They are also appealing to officials of Kenya Private Security Workers Union Secretary General Isaac Andabwa to intervene before they take industrial action. They claim that if Lavington Security Limited is unable or unwilling to meet these basic obligations, it may be time for the authorities to intervene and take necessary action to protect the rights of the employees.
The guards claim that despite numerous attempts to seek an audience with the management through their leaders, no communication has been forthcoming, and instead, they have been subjected to a culture of silence and intimidation.
They have been left with no recourse but to continue working under these conditions, fearing the loss of their jobs if they raise their voices any higher. “Our bosses have turned a deaf ear to our pleas for help. They have refused to pay us for work done, and when we try to raise our voices, they victimize us,” said one of the guards who spoke to us on strict condition of anonymity for fear of victimization.
Another guard said “We have been living on borrowed time and money. Landlords have locked us out of our houses, schools are demanding fees, and we are unable to meet our basic needs”
