Stop treating us like beggars, nurses tell county bosses

Nurses in Homa Bay have asked the county government to stop reducing them to beggars.

Homa Bay County Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) secretary Omondi Nyonje said they are paid salaries only after pressuring the county government through strikes.

“The county government is treating us like beggars. We have to pressure them by downing our tools or threatening to do so in order to pay us,” Nyonje said.

Nurses in the county have had strikes for several months in the recent past over delays in salary payments.

Nyonje said it was wrong for the county to pay them only after strike threats.

“We should be paid for our services. But it is unfortunate that the people who should pay us wait until we demand our salaries,” he said.

Mid last month, for instance, the nurses went on strike over delayed salaries. They held another strike that ended on Tuesday this week.

Homa Bay KNUN treasury Calmax Otieno, who called off the strike on Tuesday, said they should not be made to beg for their salaries.

Otieno said they had signed a memorandum of understanding with the county government that they should be paid by the 8th of every month.

“Salaries should be paid within the stipulated time. We should not be forced to behave like beggars in order to be paid,” Otieno said.

According to Nyonje, delay in salary payment demotivates health workers.

Homa Bay Health executive Richard Muga said they were doing all it takes to ensure the medics get their salaries on time.

“We don't get money from the National Treasury on time. But we are putting necessary plans in place to address the matter,” Muga said.