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Kenya

City Hall pulls out of LAP Trust

NAIROBI, Kenya, December 4 – The City Council of Nairobi (CCN) has passed a resolution withdrawing its membership from the Lap Trust Pension Fund with immediate effect.

Town Clerk Philip Kisia said this followed the inability of the Fund to meet City Hall’s expectations despite the council contributing to 90 percent of the Fund.

He said that currently, council employees have about Sh5 billion in contributions held with the Fund.

“I am hoping that they cannot ignore City Hall like some fellow called LAP Trust ignored the council until the councillors gave them a very serious whip,” he stated.

“People are already rushing to the Minister to persuade him not to approve the decision but we are going to justify why we are moving out,” he quipped.

The council contributes about Sh100 million monthly towards the Fund.

The Town Clerk stated that City Hall will soon be advertising for a new fund to cater for their needs.

“They did not know that the council can make that decision to move out and look for somebody else who can treat us with respect,” he said.

“We are meeting as colleagues to strategise on how we can improve our services and how we can serve residents better particularly under the new constitutional dispensation.” 

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Mr Kisia further stated that the council was putting forth a lot of effort to restore its tarnished image.

Speaking during a press conference, Mr Kisia said city hall’s records are being scrutinized so as to have a clear picture of the council’s financial records.

He put bodies charged with offering them services on notice not to try and take advantage of the council as he would respond in kind. 

“When we reconciled our figures, we discovered they (Kenya Revenue Authority) owed us money. So I called my friend and I told him that next time you attach the accounts of the council without justification, I will retaliate in equal measure and that is what we have agreed on,” he stated.

The council has for a long time been tagged as a hub of corruption within Nairobi City.

“We are also going to make very hard decisions so that other institutions can also recognize that councils are actually mandated to run cities and municipalities,” Mr Kisia said.

“We have all the powers and everything, but we are ignored. This has to stop with immediate effect,” he stressed.

On Friday, City Hall introduced the use of smart cards for council employees in a bid to eliminate fraudsters masquerading as City Hall workers.

Town Clerk Philip Kisia said that the cards will ensure people deal with genuine workers and are expected to improve service delivery to city residents.

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The cards will among other things enable the council to know what time employees report to work and when they leave, contain stringent identification features, and the use of thumb prints to access medical care.

Mr Kisia explained that imposters and unscrupulous council employees extort money from the public due to lack of uniforms and valid identification cards for all council employees.
He pointed out that for the past three months, Town Hall has arrested 30 impersonators and arraigned them in court.

He appealed to the residents to help fight this vice by reporting any suspects to the council or the nearest police station.

Mr Kisia further said that the log in and log out feature of the card will ensure that employees do not abscond their duties.

He said the use of the smart card will enable better management of staff, effective supervision and will enhance transparency and accountability.
 

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