Kenyan nurses give 7 days ultimatum before strike

The Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) has issued a seven-day strike notice if the Senate fails to pass and approve the controversial third basis revenue formula for counties. 

The union’s Secretary-General Seth Panyako said the continued delay by the Senate in approving the Sh316 billion equitable distribution of funds to the counties has led to an unnecessary delay of remittance of salaries to nurses in some counties.

Panyako warned the government that all health workers and other county public servants will bring the country to its knees on Monday 10th if these issues are not addressed with the urgency that they deserve; especially the issue of salary arrears for the last three months.

He said it was regrettable that the monies have yet to reach the counties especially during this period when the nurses are actively involved in the fight against coronavirus.

Panyako added that nurses and doctors are being infected by this virus and they are not even able to pay their rent or buy food because their salaries are being delayed due to some selfishness. He asserted that health workers would not put their lives at risk if their dignity was not respected.

Panyako further called on the Senate not to allow any reduction of County Revenue Allocation, saying that it may lead to laying off workers, failure in promoting nurses and other health workers. He went on to also call for the employment of 7000 jobless nurses to join the fight against coronavirus.

Council of Governors Chairperson Wycliffe Oparanya also warned that service delivery at the counties will be halted if the ongoing disagreement on Revenue Allocation Formula by the senators persists.

Speaking during the State of the Devolution Address last week, Oparanya said none of the 47 counties has received money for the month of June; and therefore will not be able to pay even salaries.

He called on senators to hasten the process and save the counties from an impending crisis especially now that they are expected to improve their health facilities in preparation for rising coronavirus cases in the country.

The Senate is expected to sit on Tuesday for a record sixth time to settle disagreements on the contentious formula whose bone of contention all along has been that some counties risk gaining whereas others risk losing billions of shillings.