What was supposed to be a forum chaired by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna with the capital's firefighters turned out to be a much-anticipated platform for the firefighters to vent their untold grievances and the shame they have been hiding behind their worn-out bunker gear.
They said they have been neglected despite risking their lives to protect millions of Nairobi residents whenever there is a fire incident.
Poor working conditions, lack of motivation and risk allowances as well as underpayment have forced them to come out and highlight their problems.
According to Macharia (a name used to avoid being witch-hunted), a monthly salary of Sh15,000 in Nairobi is too little for them to feed their families.
He reveals that it is unbearable to observe the situation of his female colleagues, some of whom are forced by the situation to engage in sexual activities with their bosses in order to feed their families.
"Our colleagues, women, have been forced into relationships they do not want, with the people we call our bosses, in order to feed their families. They have sugar daddies. It is true, we see it. These are the things that they are telling us as our sisters how they are suffering," said Mr Macharia during the engagement with Mr Sifuna on Tuesday, January 28.
A view of the Fire Station along Moi Avenue in Nairobi on January 28, 2025, after a consultative meeting with some of the county's firefighters who raised safety concerns and deteriorating working conditions.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation
The county has been urged to change some policies in the sector that were introduced during the colonial era and need to be reviewed to address the challenges faced by women in the sector.
"Imagine a woman working a night shift for 16 hours, leaving her children at home and most of these fire stations have no gates and no guards in the middle of the night waiting to respond to fire calls," said Mr Macharia.
Mr Macharia also said that the unbearable situation has led some of his colleagues to turn to illegal drugs and anti-depressants just to avoid thinking about the responsibilities that await them for the little money they receive.
In response, Bramwell Simiyu, the Nairobi County government's chief officer for disaster management and coordination, said the issue of salaries and allowances had been raised by Governor Sakaja's Cabinet.
Discussions are ongoing with the County Public Service Board to fully address the issue, he said.
Some of the firefighters, including Castine Kendi, went to Mombasa in July last month for a rigorous water rescue training where they used their money for transport and accommodation and have yet to be compensated.
"We paid for our transport and accommodation for a month. We have never been compensated. We used our money and some of us took loans to attend the training. We are just being taken around by the Controller of Budget (COB)," said Ms Kendi.
She also highlighted the dilapidated toilets for the women in these fire stations, which expose them to infections as some have no water supply.
Ms Kendi said the dormitories they use at night or after responding to fires in the middle of the night are inadequate, forcing them to share beds, some of which are infested with bed bugs.
Nairobi County Senator Edwin Sifuna inspects conditions at a washroom during his visit to the Fire Station dormitory along Moi Avenue in Nairobi on January 28, 2025, after a consultative meeting with some of the county's firefighters who raised safety concerns and deteriorating working conditions. Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation
Also, receiving their hazard and overtime allowances for each fire they respond to has been another hectic experience for them.
Although they are entitled to a Sh1,000 allowance, it takes months to process and some end up with nothing.
However, according to Mr Simiyu, the risk allowance is a matter that has been prioritised by Governor Sakaja in collaboration with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
"The SRC rate is approved by the SRC. The governor is working with the SRC to review their allowances. What I can say is that their concerns are legitimate and we are working to address them."
Stephen Ndungu says that another major challenge they have been fighting for a long time is the lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
He says getting access to critical items for a firefighter such as gloves, helmets, boots, face protection, goggles and goggles is another nightmare.
They are forced to use their money to buy at least two uniforms a year and some respond to emergencies in their civilian clothes.
A view of the Fire Station along Moi Avenue in Nairobi on January 28, 2025, after a consultative meeting with some of the county's firefighters who raised safety concerns and deteriorating working conditions. Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation
"We don't have fire suits to protect us when we have to walk through the sewers to respond to an emergency," says Mr Ndungu.
This left Senator Sifuna speechless as he questioned where the money allocated to the disaster management sector had gone.
An impromptu visit to Tom Mboya fire station, one of the oldest as it was built in 1907, shows how dire the situation is.
"It is a systemic problem and it needs to be addressed so that we have a motivated workforce so that they are not blamed for lateness or efficiency in fighting fires. If they are injured, they don't get compensated because of insurance stories and so on... I will be raising these issues with Nairobi County," said Senator Sifuna.
The senator reiterated that he was doing his oversight work and had no problems with Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
The abandoned metal beds with 3-inch medium-duty mattresses can be seen without sheets or duvets. They don't have blankets and the stuffy conditions expose them to disease.
"Hey, be careful. Don't lean on them, they've got bedbugs," shouted one of the people in the dormitory.
This is despite the fact that the district has spent millions over the last two financial years renovating fire stations.
Commenting on the poor state of the Tom Mboya Fire Station, Mr Simiyu, Nairobi's Chief Officer for Disaster Management and Coordination, said the station was in a cramped location that prevented the county from expanding it to meet the requirements of the current state of fire stations.
"It is an old station but we have done the procurement and someone will come to renovate the station. Tom Mboya (fire station) was built in 1907 and it certainly does not represent the state of our fire stations. We will renovate the station and improve its standards," said Mr Simiyu.
The chief officer reiterated that the said dormitories are not for sleeping, but for the rest that firefighters need in the course of their work.
The lack of hydrants in the CBD and the nearby refilling area is another challenge for the firefighters, who said they use Gigiri Point to refill their engines whenever there is an incident.
The distance has affected their operations and exposed them to attacks from hostile communities in the slums, who accuse them of being late every time.
"I work with these people and I can tell you that they suffer. Most of the firefighters here have been injured because of the hooliganism we experience...Imagine driving a fire engine worth almost 15 million, yet you are paid Sh15,000," said Erick Omondi, one of the drivers.
At the recent Nairobi County Assembly committee meeting, Mr Simiyu said most of the fire hydrants in the city were closed during the construction of the Thika Highway.
In the supplementary budget passed by the Nairobi County Assembly, Sh150 million was allocated to an emergency fund for disaster preparedness and response and another Sh100 million to purchase emergency firefighting equipment.
Mr Simiyu added that since Governor Sakaja took office in 2022, the state of other fire stations across the county has improved and renovations are underway to address the concerns raised.
According to Mr Simiyu, his department has held several discussions with the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company to open some of the hydrants in the CBD as well as those affected by road construction.
He also said that a fire station is being constructed in Gikomba and Kibra to ensure that frequent fire cases from these areas are attended to.
