The strike notice was signed by branch secretaries of KMPDU, KNUN, KUCO, KNUMLO and UKCS/FILE
KISUMU, Kenya, Sep 3 – Medical practitioners in Kisumu County have issued a joint seven-day strike notice to the county government over a myriad of challenges including delayed payment of salaries.
Speaking on behalf of the medical practitioners, Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Deputy General Secretary Maurice Opetu on Tuesday announced that health workers in all public institutions under the county government will go on strike should the Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o-led administration fail to address their concerns.
“We the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU), KNUN, Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNUMLO) and Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS) hereby jointly issued a 7-day strike notice,” said Opetu.
He said county employees have been going without salaries for several months with others raising concerns over erroneous deduction of loan payments.
Opetu also said workers have gone without enjoying critical services due to failure by the county government to remit statutory deductions.
The strike notice was signed by branch secretaries of KMPDU, KNUN, KUCO, KNUMLO and UKCS.
READ: Health workers shun Kisumu County hospitals as July pay stalemate persists
Opetu said some workers are still waiting for their July salary as some banks have failed to adhere to the request by the county government to pay overdrafts.
“The reason is the county government of Kisumu does not hold any account with these banks and it is difficult for these banks to give any overdraft to the county government for payment of salaries,” he said.
The union leader said the situation is putting workers in a difficult situation at a time primary and secondary schools are opening for third term.
Opetu said the workers in the health sector are demoralized and warned the residents of Kisumu to consider seeking medical services to the private health facilities.
“The services that are being given as at now are not safe. How can a health worker who has been evicted from a house due to rent arrears and who is stranded with children in the house, offer proper medical services?” he posed.
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