County Fires Nurses After Nationwide Strike

West Pokot County government, on Friday, sacked 112 nurses who participated in the nationwide nurses’ strike while on contract.

KNUN West Pokot branch secretary Simon Konocho, in his defense, came out to term the sacking as political noting that he would take legal action if the matter was not addressed.

Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), however, gave the county government a one-week ultimatum to reinstate the nurses or else they would paralyze the health services in the entire county.

“We shall go to their offices and we expect them to listen to our grievances. This is a hostile employer and we will not accept being mistreated. We did not violate any law. We only learnt through the media that 112 nurses have been sacked,” complained Konocho.

The strike began in February 2019, in most counties, and excluded those which nurses had their allowances remitted.

The strike came to a halt on February 26, 2019, and was announced by KNUN Secretary General Seth Panyako

Panyako noted that the strike would resurface if their issues were not addressed and warned that no one was above the law in Kenya.

“Even the president is not above the law. You cannot wake up and fire the employees,” he asserted.

On Friday, Panyako announced that the nurses would strike and gave a 60-day strike notice.

Panyako faulted Council of Governors chairman Governor Wycliffe Oparanya as an impediment in the quest to improve the health sector in the country.

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