Community health promoters in Nyandarua County have downed their tools, accusing the county government of failing to pay their salaries for the past eight months.
The health workers, who play a crucial role in providing primary healthcare services to local communities, have expressed their frustration and anger over the prolonged delay in receiving their payments.
"The County Government of Nyandarua has failed us," one of the health promoters said.
"We were working with the national government and we used to be paid through the bank without any deductions, but the County Government has not paid us since November."
The health workers are demanding their dues, stating that the delay is unjustifiable because the county is allegedly holding their money.
"When the budget is done, it means the money is there so that operations can run," the health promoter continued.
"We are wondering why they are telling us that there is no money. We are demanding our eight months' pay; it is our right because the work that we do cannot be paid by any amount. That small money they are paying us helps us reduce our challenges."
According to the contract, the national government is supposed to pay each health promoter Ksh2,500, with an additional Ksh2,500 from the county government, totalling Ksh5,000 as a stipend.
"It is not a salary, it is a stipend," the health promoter clarified.
The protests in Nyandarua are part of a broader wave of dissatisfaction across the country, with various groups demonstrating against a range of issues, including calls for the resignation of President William Ruto.
The community health workers' strike adds to the growing unrest, highlighting the financial and operational challenges faced by many counties in managing essential services.
Governor Moses Badilisha of Nyandarua County has yet to address the specific concerns raised by the health promoters.
The delay in payment has not only affected the livelihoods of these workers but also the delivery of critical healthcare services to the community.
As the protests continue, the health promoters remain steadfast in their demands, calling on the county government to honour its commitments and ensure the timely disbursement of their stipends.
The demonstrations came weeks after Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki, who is also the health committee chairperson, explained that counties were crippled with lack of funds.
Njuki stated that the national government had placed the county bosses in a tough balancing act as they decided whether to pay debts, fund recurring budgets or continue sinking in the den of pending bills.
