Nurses not at work Friday 8am to be sacked

The government has reiterated that it will sack and take further disciplinary action against nurses who will not report to work by 8am on Friday, February 15.

Addressing the press in Nairobi, Council of Governors Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya said a count would be conducted across the country to identify nurses who will not have reported to work as directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday.

“The National and County Governments stand with the President’s pronouncement. A roll call will be undertaken by both levels of Government tomorrow, Friday 15, 2019 at 8am and nurses who will fail to return to work will be dismissed and further necessary disciplinary action will be undertaken in accordance with the law, ” reads a statement signed by Mr. Oparanya and Health CS Sicily Kariuki.

The government noted that a conciliation process convened by the Ministry of Labour is ongoing to address the nurses grievances, urging them to return-to-work as the talks continue.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday termed the strike as unlawful, ordering the nurses to immediately return to work.

“It is disheartening to learn that some of our nurses have decided to engage in an unlawful withdrawal of their labour to Kenyans against the determination of the Employment and Labour Relations Court which suspended any industrial action for 60 days,” he said.

However, addressing the media after President Kenyatta’s speech, Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary General Seth Panyako remained adamant saying the strike was still on.

The court suspended the nurses strike for 60 days on February 5, 2019 to allow for conciliation talks on the nurses demands which include promotions and increased salaries among other demands varying across the counties.