Nyeri Governor threatens to fire medics despite assembly protest

Nyeri Governor Nderitu Gachagua has threatened to sack all health workers who will not turn up for work by 2PM Friday.

Gachagua says that besides having no genuine grievances, the health workers have an obligation to obey the court order demanding that they return to work.

Health care services have been grounded in Nyeri County following the three-week long strike in which they were lamenting over delay in salary payment, lack of drugs and medical equipment and demanded promotions.

This comes even as the County Assembly Committee on Health dismissed a threat by the county executive to sack them for failing to call off the industrial action.

The health committee chair Stephen Mwaniki said that the County Public Service Board has no mandate to terminate the employment of health workers who were seconded from the National Government.

Mwaniki faulted the Governor for threatening to sack the striking workers saying that the standoff would not have taken that long if the executive agreed to dialogue.

Governor Gachagua had said that the County Public Service Board will be placing job advertisements to fill the slots starting Friday if the workers will not have terminated their strike.