The government will not fire nurses who have defied President Uhuru Kenyatta’s order to report to work by Friday at 8.00 a.m.
The change of tune comes after the Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary General Seth Panyako insisted that the medics will not report to their work stations until their grievances are addressed.
Labour Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yattany has now said that the government will engage the nurses in dialogue in a bid to end the stalemate with the nurses as the strike bites.
The medical practitioners, who have stayed away from work since February 4, want the issue of unpaid allowance and promotions at work addressed with immediate effect.
They have faulted the national and county governments for playing games with them at the expense of their rights.
Yattani has urged the nurses to resume work as the efforts to address their grievances continue.
“We appeal to them to reconsider their position and go back to work”, he said, as Citizen quoted him.
The call comes hours after Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli accused the CS of misleading President Uhuru Kenyatta on the matter.
Atwoli urged the Head of State to fire the CS in order to ensure a smooth running of the health sector.