Governors term ongoing nurses strike illegal

The Council of Governors has termed the ongoing nurses’ strike illegal.

The Council’s Health Committee Chairman and Kisumu Governor, Jack Ranguma, says the strike, now in its fifth day, is illegal.

He argues that the nurses, through their union, failed to issue a notice to their respective counties.

Speaking on Citizen TV Power Breakfast Show on Friday, June 9, Ranguma said the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations were ongoing, insisting that nurses should have instead consulted governors to solve issues affecting the sector.

Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament, Peter Kaluma, however, faulted the government for retaining money meant for health services even as he called for talks to end the stalemate.

The nurses downed their tools on Monday, June 5 accusing the governors of failing to sign and implement a CBA reached late last year after a similar strike that paralysed health services in all public health centres across the country.

The nurses’ strike has seen close to 20 people lose their lives due to lack of medical attention while thousands of others have been left helpless and seeking alternative healthcare.