NHIF deductions money for 2017 campaigns, claim workers

What you need to know:

  • The striking members of the Kenya Universities Staff Union (UASU) said the government had forcibly deducted their National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) from April despite their objection.
  • The strike is part of a national agitation by civil servants under the umbrella Trade Union Congress (TUC), for changes in the national insurer deductions. Others in the strike include the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Uasu.
  • In the new rates, employees earning a gross monthly salary of Sh5, 999 and below will pay Sh500 monthly while those earning Sh100, 000 and above will part with Sh1, 700.

University workers on Thursday accused the Jubilee administration of planning to use their Sh9 billion medical scheme deductions for the 2017 campaigns.

The striking members of the Kenya Universities Staff Union (UASU) said the government had forcibly deducted their National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) from April despite their objection.

Mr Peter Lisero, the union national chairman, said that despite the deductions, they had not seen any health care improvements in public hospitals.

“The government has stolen from us. The government is raping our pay-slips. Some of us are already covered by other medical schemes and we were not consulted,” Mr Lisero told journalists at Maseno University in Kisumu.

The strike is part of a national agitation by civil servants under the umbrella Trade Union Congress (TUC), for changes in the national insurer deductions. Others in the strike include the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Uasu.

The strike comes after the talks with acting Labour Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo on the disputed NHIF rates flopped on Tuesday evening.

In the new rates, employees earning a gross monthly salary of Sh5, 999 and below will pay Sh500 monthly while those earning Sh100, 000 and above will part with Sh1, 700.

However the unions had called for the retention of the current Sh320 until the insurer is properly structured and made independent.

Mr Martin Owidi, the varsity staff union secretary general said it was improper for the government to dictate its way into the pockets of citizens.

“They had not only defied several court orders but were shamelessly scouting for avenues to raise campaign money. We know they will use the Sh9 billion for campaign in 2017,” he said.

Mr Owidi said the “thirsty for campaign money” government had jilted them and broken their agreement that they stop an earlier strike on condition that they don’t gazette the NHIF laws.

“But since they went ahead to gazette, we are giving two ultimatums before we end this strike. We will not relent until they return our Sh9 billion and until they de-gazette the laws. It will not be business as usual,” said Mr Owidi.

“If NHIF was really about improving quality of health, all these workers would not be out here. But NHIF has set a bad track record. Its officials are used by the government to siphon money, then they are shown the door,” Mr Anthony Obongo, the union secretary said.

Knut branch secretary generals Joshual Ogalle (Kisumu) and Stanley Mutai (Kericho) said none of their members had attended to their duties following the strike announcement by TUC secretary general Mr Wilson Sossion.

“We are mobilizing members to be in the street tomorrow morning (today. We are in solidarity that the huge NHIF deductions spell death for our development,” said Mr Ogalle.

On Wednesday, Dr Charles Mukhwaya, Uasu national deputy secretary general, said: “The time for dialogue with the government has run out and strike is our next course.”