MOMBASA, Kenya, Mar 8 — Mombasa County health workers from all cadres have begun their strike to compel the county area government to pay their salary arrears for the months of January and February.
The health workers through their various unions had issued a seven days’ strike ultimatum to compel the government to pay their two months’ salaries which was not honoured.
They are also demanding the county government to remit all their statutory deductions, which include NSSF and NHIF for 5 months, which have not been sent.
Led by KMPDU Chairman Coast region Hassan Mkuche the health workers have vowed not to return to work until their demands which include payment of full salary for the two months and settlement of non-remitted deductions.
Mkuche said the county government has not paid them their dues despite receiving the salary allocation fund for the month of January from the National Treasury.
“Our salary deductions have not been paid for the past five months; the county last paid us in October 2021. We are really struggling even in getting to work,” he said.
Mkuche added that they have decided to abscond duty and look for alternative sources of income to be able to fend for their families.
The unions are accusing the county government for persistently ignoring the issues raised particularly on perennial salary delays and non-remittance of statutory deductions including National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and bank loans.
The county government has offered to pay January salaries only but the health workers are adamant that they are not going to return to work until all their demands are met.
The strike comes as a result of the failure by the county to honour a memorandum of understanding signed between the two parties on January 10 this year.
Nurses and other health workers issued a similar notice towards the end of last year when the county government failed to pay the November and December salaries.
But the strike was called off at the last minute after successful negotiations with the County government.
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