Endless countrywide strikes are not good for the economy of this nation, President Uhuru Kenyatta has said.
Speaking at the Kisii County Referral and Teaching Hospital amid the ongoing nurse’s strike on Wednesday, Uhuru said that the economy is facing a number of challenges hence the new song of salaries increment is not advisable at the moment.
He insisted that the government has no money to respond to pay hikes as demanded by some public servants following a stalemate between with nurses.
The Head of State, who has warned nurses against disobeying court orders before, said that public servants should brace for tougher times as his government embarks on the achievement of the Big Four Agenda before he completes his second and final term in office.
He was accompanied by Deputy President William Ruto and opposition chief Raila Odinga who also backed him on the pay hike demands.
“Let us abandon the habit of crying for more salaries,” said Uhuru, as quoted by Standard.
The remarks of the commander in chief of the armed forces come at a time nurses’ have vowed not to return to work until their grievances are addressed.
Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary General Seth Panyako has maintained that the medical practitioners will only change their tune after their demands have been responded to.
The national and county government have since warned nurses who are yet to report to work after President Uhuru’s directive to prepare for disciplinary action against them.