Striking Kwale health workers walk out of county meeting

Kwale County health professionals on Tuesday stormed out of a meeting attended by county government officials to discuss the payment of their service allowances.

The workers, who had downed their tools on February 15, 2017, demanded the payment of their allowances and declined to resume work.

County Secretary Martin Mwaro, Health Executive Officer Athman Chiguzo, Education Executive Mangale Chiforomodo, County Public Service Chair Kassim Riga among others failed to convince the health workers to go back to work, with the workers saying that laboratory technologists, dental, nutritionists, biological engineers and counselors, pharmaceutical, physiotherapy, health records carders are discriminated when the government gives allowances to nurses.

The government last year agreed to pay nursing allowances of Ksh20,000 for group G-L and Ksh15,000 for group M, which was effected from January 2017.

“Today we have one word – that health service allowance must be given today or the demonstration will go on,” said their leader Boniface Kahingu, adding that threats of laying them off would not deter them from demanding what is rightfully theirs.

Mwinyi Baro, also a health professional, said: “We have been working since January 2017 without getting any response about the allowances; it is better to stay out of work for us to get the money,”

County Health Executive Anthman Chizugo assured the striking workers that they are handling the matter to ensure the health workers are paid their allowances through the Council of Governor.

“We are awaiting a treasury circular for us to pay you the allowances. It will be backdated to January 2017,” said Chiguzo.

On his part, Kwale County Secretary Martin Mwaro said the county budget process would take into account the health workers’ allowances.

“Let’s just be patient for the procedure to go through. We are committed to making sure you have the best working environment, taking care of your welfare, your growth and all the issues so that you can also deliver the best,” said Mwaro.