KNUN boss Panyako disowns nurses deal, says strike still on

Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary General Seth Panyako denounced the call to end the nurses’ strike by his deputy Maurice Odhiambo.

Saying the strike is still on, Panyako called on nurses to ignore the statement issued earlier by Mr Odhiambo, noting that the only organ mandated to issue such a statement is the union’s national governing council through the secretary general.

Addressing the press in Kakamega, the unionist claimed that the three KNUN leaders who issued the statement, Deputy Secretary General Maurice Odhiambo, Chairman John Bii and Assistant Chief Trustee Alice Oreng, had been compromised by the government and had no authority to speak on behalf of nurses.

He stated that the national governing council of the union will be meeting tomorrow (Monday) to discuss the agreements reached between the union and the government and there after they will issue a statement on whether they will call off the strike or not.

Earlier on Sunday, a faction of nurses union led by Kenya National Union of Nurses Deputy Secretary General Maurice Odhiambo signed a return-to-work agreement with the government.

Speaking at a press conference in Afya House, Nairobi on Sunday, Mr Odhiambo said the agreement was signed between the national and county governments and the nurses and would form part of the collective bargaining agreement that would be formulated within two months effective January 1.

Following the deal, the deputy secretary general asked all nurses to return to work with immediate effect.