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Tharaka-Nithi County govt to sue nurses for ‘illegal’ strike
Tharaka-Nithi Samuel Ragwa. He has said his county government will sue the nurses' union for calling for a strike which he terms illegal. He said nurses have been paid their August salaries. FILE PHOTO | ALEX NJERU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Ragwa directed that salaries for those who will not have reported back to work by Wednesday morning be stopped.
- He blamed the union officials for ‘inciting’ their members to boycott duty even when there is no problem.
- County Health chief officer Walter Mugambi denied claims that no health worker had been promoted since the sector was devolved.
- The union branch chairman Fabian Marigu maintained that they will resume duty when everybody is paid.
The Tharaka-Nithi County government is preparing to sue the Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) branch officials for calling for a strike following a delay in paying their August salaries.
Speaking to Nation by phone from his office in Kathwana, Governor Samuel Ragwa said the salaries had been paid as from Friday last week.
He said the county’s legal and disciplinary committee teams were meeting to deliberate on the legal measures to take against the striking nurses and the union.
“I am meeting the legal and disciplinary teams and be assured my government will not condone workers who are used by my political opponents to paralyze health services,” said Mr Ragwa.
He directed that salaries for those who will not have reported back to work by Wednesday morning be stopped and the individuals be treated as having absconded duty.
He blamed the union officials for ‘inciting’ their members to boycott duty even when there is no problem.
"The officials have been calling for strikes almost every month for no genuine reason," said the governor.
DELAYS IN FUNDS RELEASE
Mr Ragwa said sometimes the national government delays releasing the funds and when alerted that salaries might delay, the union officials proceed and call for a strike.
“We do not keep money in offices at Kathwana and workers should be ready to adjust when there are inconveniences such as a hitch with the integrated financial management information system (Ifmis),” he said.
County Health chief officer Walter Mugambi denied claims that no health worker had been promoted since the sector was devolved.
“We are in the final stages of listing the few who had not been promoted and they will receive their letters this week,” he said.
Mr Mugambi also denied claims that statutory deductions for the workers were not submitted to respective banks, saccos and other institutions like NHIF.
Meanwhile, the union branch chairman Fabian Marigu maintained that they will resume duty when everybody is paid.
“Some nurses have received their salaries but we will remain away until the last person is paid,” said Mr Marigu.
A spot check by the Nation established that services in almost all public hospitals were paralysed.
