KENYA NURSES NURSING THEIR POCKETS

KNUN S.G Seth Panyako addressing the press.

Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary General on January 31 called for a Countrywide strike starting from Monday, February 4. This is after the 23 Counties have failed to show interest in implementing the collective bargaining agreement signed on November 2017.

According to the Union's SG, Seth Panyako stated only three counties will not be affected where they have implemented the return to work formula. They include; Mombasa, Machakos and Migori County.

Counties that will be affected with the first strike this year are, Kisumu, Muranga, Embu, Kisii, Nairobi, Kiambu, Garissa, Homabay and Elgeyo.

February 4 strike comes after the Union postponed it from December 9 last year to give room for talks. "After cross-analysis from various counties, the statistics indicate that most of the counties indeed factored allowances in their financial year 2018-2019. We blame the SRC for not acting appropriately," Panyako said. 

Nurses at a previous strike.

The nurses are demanding the implementation of the return to work formula that requires the government to provide nursing services allowance to be implemented in three phases.

For the financial year 2018-2019, they should get Sh 23,000 while for the year 2019-2020 they will get Sh 26,500 and Sh 30,000 for 2020-2021. Also demanding for uniform allowance which was increased to Sh 5000 per year effective July 2018.

Other Counties to be affected are Kirinyaga, Nyandarua, TransNzoia, Tharaka Nithi, Marsabit, Nyeri, Samburu, West Pokot, Kitui, Wajir, Kwale, Taita Taveta, Mandera and Elgeyo Marakwet.
 "Twenty counties promised to affect the pay by either at the end of this month or end of February hence will receive their strike notices from next week," he said.