Police battle protesters as nurses’ strike cripples work in hospitals
Protesters try to open the gate at the Nyeri County Government headquarters on September 3, 2015. The group demanded a meeting with Governor Nderitu Gachagua over the three-week nurses’ strike that has grounded services in the county’s public hospitals. They were later dispersed by police. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI |
What you need to know:
- But there is reprieve in Tharaka Nithi as workers call off planned strike.
- Crowd tries to storm county head office in Nyeri as boycott goes on in Meru.
Police on Thursday battled protesters who attempted to storm Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua’s office over the health crisis in public hospitals in the county.
The officers intercepted the charged crowd as it headed for the governor’s office demanding to meet him over the worsening situation triggered by the ongoing strike by nurses.
This caused a stand-off that gave way to running battles as the protesters blocked roads in town using burning tyres and harassed motorists.
County police boss Charles Rotich summoned reinforcements and engaged the crowd before restoring calm in the streets.
“Thousands are suffering at home as our rich county officials comfortably fly abroad for specialised treatment. We give them seven days to restore normalcy in healthcare,” warned Mr Wambugu Nyamu, chairman of the Citizen Initiative lobby group which organised the demonstration.
Mr Nyamu threatened to collect signatures to have the Nyeri County Referral Hospital reverted back to the national government.
Thursday’s chaos reigned even as county government representatives failed to turn up at the Labour office in Nyeri for a reconciliation meeting with the nurses’ union representatives.
Instead the county officials honoured a date with the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi which had summoned officials of the two groups to appear before it.
However, Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) officials did not attend the session.
Knun secretary-general Seth Panyako who visited the county from Wednesday to advice the branch officials accused the county government of being arrogant in its response to the nurses’ grievances.
“The governor is being misadvised on how to handle the health workers. He will greatly regret some of the decisions he has made,” Mr Panyako said.
In Meru, health workers kept away from work for the third day, despite Governor Peter Munya’s warning that those who abscond duty would be dismissed.
The workers went on strike on Tuesday after expiry of a 14-day ultimatum they had given the county government to address their grievances.
Governor Munya and county health executive William Muraah have, however, denied receiving any strike notice from the workers.
Speaking to the Nation, Kenya Clinical Officers Association’s Meru branch chairman Wilson Namu said they would not budge to any pressure from the county government.
“The strike does not involve nurses only. All health workers are participating. We are not going back until the county government accepts consultations. We will hold demonstrations tomorrow (Friday),” Mr Namu said.
CANCELLED PLANS
Meanwhile, nurses in Tharaka Nithi County have cancelled plans to go on strike.
This followed an undertaking by the county government to address their grievances
Speaking to the Nation on Thursday, the union secretary Kenneth Micheni said that negotiations with the health chief officer, Mr Walter Mugambi, on Saturday last week yielded fruits.
“All the statutory deductions that had accumulated for many months have been paid,” said Mr Micheni.
The union had, two weeks ago, vowed to go on strike, if their concerns were not addressed.
The nurses demanded that Governor Samuel Ragwa’s government remits statutory deductions to saccos, banks, National Hospital Insurance Fund and National Social Security Fund.
Reported by GRACE GITAU, DAVID MUCHUI and ALEX NJIRU
