Nurses in Kwale County take to the streets over payment of allowances

Nurses in Kwale County on Wednesday took to the streets to demand the execution of their service allowance as it was earlier promised by the government.

The nurses from different departments including dental department, nutrition department, laboratory technicians, physiotherapy assistants, pharmaceutical department, biological engineers, and health records officers carried placards and branches as they matched from the Kwale Baraza Park to Governor Salim Mvurya’s office to demand allowances as promised by the government.

In a document that is said to have been effective as from January 2017, the government is said to have agreed to pay the health workers an allowance of Ksh5,000 on top of the previous payment Ksh15,000.

Nurse Saidi Ndaro said that other nurses who had a union to represent them had been issued with the allowance, unlike those who do not have representatives. Ndaro further cautioned that the nursed would not resume duties if their stipends remain unauthorized.

Addressing the nurses, County Health Executive Athman Chiguzo, who spoke on behalf of Governor Salim Mvurya, assured the workers of the availability of the money, adding that the committee was waiting for authorization from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to release the allowances that will be backdated to last month (January).

Echoing Chiguzo, Kwale County Public Service Board Chair Kassim Riga intimated that the matter would be discussed in a meeting scheduled for next week between SRC and board members at the Council of Governors.

The health workers’ demonstration comes even as the national doctors strike hit the 73rd day today.

The doctors are demanding the full implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed between the government and the union of behalf of doctors in 2013.

Edited by Ann Mukuru