People who are under the government’s internship programme have lamented that they have gone for two months without getting their stipend, a development that has affected their livelihoods.
One of the interns confided in The Daily Times that they are finding it difficult to source food, let alone convince landlords and landladies that they will pay rental fees once they get paid.
“This is torture. In June, I got evicted from the house I was renting for non-payment of rentals. My new landlord has already given me four warnings, warning that I will be evicted if I do not pay rentals by Monday [today], August 7,” he said.
Another intern corroborated the sentiments, saying what they are going through can prompt females to start selling their bodies.
“And those that sell their bodies to men, in a bid to make ends meet, may end up contracting sexually transmitted infections. The government is creating a recipe for disaster,” the intern said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour has said interns that have not received anything for June and July should expect to get paid from today, going forward.
Principal Secretary for Labour Wezi Kayira said delays to pay stipends, pegged at K80,000 per month, are due to intense verification processes of GP1 forms.
Kayira said this is being done before putting interns on the government payroll.
According to Kayira, verification processes are crucial in ensuring that fulltime government workers do not get paid as interns.
“Data we have are showing that some interns are fulltime government workers in some departments. Names of such interns are being rejected for payment as it is unacceptable,” Kayira said.
The 8th cohort of government internship has 2,905 interns who are attached to ministries and government departments.
The interns are expected to work for the government for 12 months before being released to create room for others.
