Hundreds of National Youth Service (NYS) workers at Kongowea market in Mombasa downed their tools over unpaid wages.
More than 500 youth were recruited two weeks ago through the Youth Empowerment Programme to carry out a clean up exercise at Kongowea Market.
The youth through their spokesman, Mr Hamisi Mwaruwa said the NYS supervisors have failed to pay them last week’s pay.
Mr Mwaruwa said they are supposed to be paid Sh1,800 weekly but they have not received last week’s payment.
The youth also claimed that they have not been provided with adequate attire like protective gear when cleaning the market and surrounding areas including roads.
“We have not been paid by the ministry. We cannot be working for them yet they do not appreciate our efforts,” said Mr Mwaruwa.
He added: “We lack adequate attire like protective gear as some of us work with fear of contracting diseases. Our supervisors also demand bribes whenever one reports to work late.”
It took the intervention of a senior NYS officer, Mr Zacharia Mutua to calm the angry youth by promising them that they will receive their payment.
Mr Mutua said the delay in paying the workers was because some of them gave the wrong particulars including their mobile telephone numbers when they were being hired.
“I can assure you that before the close of business today, your week-two pay will reflect on your mobile phones via M-Pesa,” said Mr Mutua.