Africa-Press – Uganda. Dissenting employees of Chapa General Enterprises Limited at the weekend pulled down electricity poles and vandalized power equipment in Masaba Sub County, Busia District as they protested non-payment.
Chapa General Enterprises Limited is a company contracted by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to extend electricity to rural Sub-counties in Busia District.
At least 15 of their workers who earn Shs15,000 per day have reportedly gone three months without pay, according to Mr Aggrey Ouma, one of the labourers.
“I am failing to buy food, pay rent, and other utilities at home because I have not been paid my wages for three months now,” he complained.
Mr Francis Ouma, another labourer, said despite waking up early every day to go and work, he is surviving on handouts from well-wishers.
“Our bosses expect us to work without pay; we are not here to offer voluntary services to Chapa General Enterprises because it is not a nonprofit organisation,” he said.
According to the workers, they first worked in another Sub County in the district before relocating to work on the Masaba powerline, but all their allowances were allegedly not paid.
As they vandalized the powerlines, residents looked on in disbelief.
Joshua Wanyama, a resident of Bukade Village, said the workers were right to protest because they also have families to look after.
Mr John Bosco Kabanda, a supervisor at Chapa General Enterprises Limited, said his boss [in Kampala] promised to have all their money paid by the end of this week.
As far as rural electricity access in Busia District is concerned, Samia Bugwe Central and South stands at 11.4 per cent, while in Busia municipality, the average was at about 17 percent and 0.3 percent for Samia Bugwe North.
The strike by the workers is, therefore, a challenge to the extension of electricity to hundreds of people in the district who are yearning to get connected to the grid.
Mr Dennis Nyangweso, the Samia Central Member of Parliament, said it was unfortunate for a company to employ people it doesn’t pay and promised to raise the matter on the floor of Parliament.
He added that the alleged failure by the company to pay its workers raises concerns that it might be a fake entity that is out to do shoddy work in the district.
Mr Stephen Mugeni, the Busia District Lc5 chairman, condemned the workers for vandalizing the powerlines, saying they [powerlines] were government property.
[email protected]ug.nationmedia.com
