Nairobi — Labour Day celebrations ended in disappointment for thousands of workers after President Kibaki failed to announce an increase in the minimum wage.

The celebrations at Uhuru Park in Nairobi, which had started on a high note, ended in an anti-climax when a section the crowd walked out on the President to protest over his failure to set new guidelines on minimum wages.

The minimum wage for workers in the industrial sector was last raised in 2006 when it went up from Sh4,817 to Sh5,395. The amount for agriculture workers is Sh5,346.

In recent months, the cost of basic commodities has gone up significantly partly due to inflation, the effects of post-election violence and the rise in the price of fuel globally.

The President ruled out a pay increase and said: "Shida tuliyo nayo ni kubwa (the challenge we are facing is immense). He also said that many countries in Africa were also experiencing hard times. Food riots have been reported in Cameroon and Senegal.

The President's explanation did not go down well with the workers. So disappointed were they that some, who had been expecting good news, started walking away before the national anthem was played.

Their hopes for a salary increase had been raised by the Central Organisation of Trade Unions secretary general, Mr Francis Atwoli, who had asked the President to consider workers' conditions in view of the rising food prices.

Trouble started when the President, who was the chief guest at the celebrations, finished his 30-minute speech without a word on salaries. No sooner had he started thanking the crowd for attending the celebrations, than they started chanting: "Mshahara! mshahara! (salary, salary)". At first, the President did not understand what the crowd was chanting about. He inquired from the podium.

"Ni kitu gani mnataka (What do you want)?," the President asked.

After his aides told him, he explained why he had skipped the issue. According to him, the country was facing a major challenge due to post-election violence and this had made it difficult for him to announce an increase in the minimum wage. But his explanation did not go down well with the workers who protested even more.

"If you don't want me to tell you the truth I will still tell it anyway," the President said.

It was then that the crowd started walking away as the President was saying: "Asanteni sana (Thank you very much)". Soon after, the military band began to play the national anthem.

After the President left the venue, the workers complained bitterly, accusing the Government of short-changing them.

Labourer

"We came here with the hope that Government increases the minimum wage. Any other agenda was not important for us," said Mr Peter Ligale, a casual labourer in the city.

His sentiments were supported by Mr Francis Muthusi and Fredrick Omondi who argued that the cost of living had gone beyond the reach of the common man.

Mr Omondi said that though the President's message of reconciliation was important, he should have raised the minimum wage even if it was by 10 per cent.

The crowd later surged forward after the President, left making it difficult for ministers and assistant ministers and other invited guests to leave the venue.

Police on horseback had to be called in to control the mob and create space for the guests to leave.

Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Agriculture Minister William Ruto had difficulties going to their vehicles as the crowd mobbed them demanding that they should address them.

Among those who attended the function were Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, Labour Minister John Munyes and Public Health Minister Beth Mugo.

And in a speech that lasted one hour and 20 minutes, Mr Atwoli made a case for workers' rights saying they were being exploited by employers.

"Mr President, these workers are your people who have been exploited. They are hungry and with the high cost of living, the government needs to intervene," he said amid applause.

He criticised some companies owned by foreigners for paying their workers low wages, while making millions in profit. He also promised to name the companies in question. "Some of them have even prevented workers from joining trade unions yet it is the workers' right to do so," Mr Atwoli added.

However his proposal that the constitutional review consider the proposal that the public only elects MP and councillors while Parliament elects the President and the Prime Minister was not received well by the crowd.

Mr Atwoli said the country was blessed with qualified top ranking leaders among them "Economist Kibaki, lawyer Kalonzo Musyoka and Engineer Raila Odinga".

However, the mention of Mr Musyoka's name was greeted with jeers by a section of the crowd, who had earlier welcomed apologies sent by Prime Minister Raila Odinga which was conveyed by Mr Atwoli.

Though Thursday's function was free of protocol hitches with the absence of Mr Odinga, a section of the crowd heckled when the VP stood to welcome the President.

He however received applause when he appealed to different ethnic groups to live in peace and harmony, adding that Kenya must remain united.

The Vice President immediately got into trouble when he said the country was now peaceful and "hakuna matata" (there was no problem).

Commodities

He was greeted with chants of "njaa, njaa, bei za bidhaa zimepanda" (hunger, hunger. The prices of commodities have gone up).

The Vice President, who kept his cool, said the Government would ensure that internal refugees return to their farms to help increase food production in the face of a looming food shortage.

The President also urged Kenyans to live in harmony. He urged wananchi to love one another and desist from acts of revenge.

There was drama when a man who had tried to dodge the heavy security detail tried to deliver a message to the President.

He was immediately whisked away to a waiting police Land Rover.