Striking Meru health workers call for enhanced security after stoning incident
A man walks in the compound of the deserted Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital following the ongoing strike by health workers. The striking medics have called for enhanced security after an incident on Monday where they were stoned by a group of young men in Meru Town. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Their request comes after a group of young people on Monday pelted them with stones outside the county headquarters.
- Meru Knun chairman Mugambi Bakari said they had requested for more police officers during their street demonstrations.
- He also called for the arrest of the youths who attacked them.
- Meru County Director of Communications Simon Kobia also condemned the stoning incident.
Striking Meru County health workers have requested for enhanced police security during their demonstrations today as the strike enters the eighth day.
Their request comes after a group of young people on Monday pelted them with stones outside the county headquarters in Meru Town during their demonstrations.
The youths were dispersed by police as the health workers scampered for safety.
The medics had marched to the county offices seeking audience with Governor Peter Munya to present their grievances regarding their promotions.
Speaking to Nation.co.ke on Wednesday, Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) Meru chairman Mugambi Bakari said they had requested for more police officers during their street demonstrations.
He also called for the arrest of the youths who attacked them.
“We will be back to the streets of Meru Town tomorrow (Thursday) as we demand our promotions. We have met the Meru Town OCS who has assured us that security will be beefed up.
“We also wanted to know whether the suspects who threw stones at us have been arrested,” Mr Bakari said.
DEMANDING FOR RIGHTS
Knun Secretary-General Nesbit Mugendi condemned the incident, saying they would not be cowed from demanding for their rights.
“Health workers expect the police to provide adequate security because we are holding peaceful demonstrations,” Mr Mugendi said.
He said they will remain on the streets until the county government promotes health workers within the promised timelines.
“We are not holding any more negotiations because we agreed with what the county government proposed.
“They promised to promote workers within two weeks. We will be checking to see the progress they have made but we are not going back to work until the deal is implemented,” he said.
But Meru Health Chief Officer James Gitonga said the promotions were to be effected in two weeks on condition that the health workers did not go on strike.
“The process stopped because the health workers went on strike,” Dr Gitonga said.
Meru County Director of Communications Simon Kobia also condemned the stoning incident.
He said the suspects should be arrested and face the full force of the law.
Patients in Meru are currently relying on public hospitals in neighbouring counties as well as mission hospitals in the county.
