School contractors complain over delayed payment

KAYONZA - Over 100 people, including casual laborers and sub-contractors who were employed to build FAWE Girls’ School in Gahini sector, are crying foul over unpaid wages and other dues. The workers accuse the contractor, Thomas Rwagasana of failing to pay them over Rwf100 million in outstanding wages. “We have been waiting for payments for quite sometime. I employed 90 workers to extract the stones that I supplied…but he has refused to pay me. He owes me Rwf4.3 m, the workers are on my neck,” said Celestin Nabitegera. Other people who were given causal jobs at the construction site are equally blaming Damascene Gakuba, who was hired to over see the construction, of hoodwinking them. “I was employed to fix door and window panes. He has refused to pay me over Rwf300,000 and my landlord ejected me from his house after failing to pay rent,” said one man who identified himself as Gatari. The Executive Secretary of Gahini Sector, Antoine Ruburika, said he has formally received reports of delays in paying the workers. “The issue attracted some protest. Though the contractor promised to pay the workers, I don’t think he will live up to the expectations,” he said. When contacted, Rwagasana acknowledged the delays, but assured the workers that they would be paid soon. “We were delayed by normal financial procedures, but I can assure all those complaining that we shall have paid all of them by next week. You know it is because there are some people who delayed to pay us too…so there is no cause for alarm,” he said. FAWE Girls School Gahini branch was built with funding from the World Bank at a cost of about Rwf1.2 billion. The school that will officially start next academic year has 16 class room blocks, one administrative block, a laboratory, a multi-purpose hall and teachers’ quarters. Ends