A planned strike by nurses in Mombasa has been jeopardised after President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday, directed all nurses to resume duty with effect from Friday 15, 2019, not later than 8am.
On Thursday, February 7, nurses in Mombasa led by Secretary Peter Maroko, claimed they were yet to receive their allowances despite a promise from the county government, adding that the stipulated two-week period is enough for the county government to channel monies to their bank accounts.
Addressing the press in Mombasa, Maroko said about 600 nurses from across the County would take part in the strike if the county government fails to address their grievances.
However, during a televised mini-State House address flanked by Council of Governors leaders, President Kenyatta stated that nurses who fail to report to work by then will be dismissed by County Governments and the Ministry of Health.
President Kenyatta also instructed the National Police Service to take stern action against picketers who may intimidate or otherwise harass the public servants who intend to go to work. He said unlawful industrial actions will not be allowed to derail the country from moving forward.
"While our Constitution and various labour laws grant the right to picket and participate in strikes, they also provide for the process of determining public service remuneration by the Salaries Remuneration Commission whose advice has equally been disregarded," he said.
The move comes even as the Council of Governors chairman Wycliffe Oparanya said the court ordered nurses and their employers to attend conciliation meetings initiated by Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yattani.
The Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary General Seth Panyako rejected the move saying devolved units “are playing with the nurses minds by failing to honour the agreement the parties in dispute signed on November 2, 2017”.
On Monday February 4, nurses in West Pokot, Kisumu, Nairobi, Kisii, Taita-Taveta, Nyandarua, Trans Nzoia, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Wajir, Nyeri and Kitui counties went on strike demanding for uniform and nursing service allowances.
Nurses earn Sh20,000 every month in service allowance, which was to be increased to Sh30,000 over three years from 2017. The uniform allowance was raised to Sh10,000.
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