Cheboi: Resume work or face sack

By ROBERT KIPLAGAT

Baringo county: As health workers’ strike enters its fourth day, Baringo County Governor Benjamin Cheboi has threatened to fire those on strike in the county, should they fail to resume work by Monday.

Speaking during Kenya@50 celebrations, Cheboi said those who will not have reported to work by Monday will face sack and their positions advertised. 

“The Judiciary has ruled the strike is illegal and the devolution of Health, Agriculture, Water and Planning is constitutional,” said Cheboi.

He said his county has the capacity to cater for the welfare of all the health workers and their working conditions.

He added that in the 2013/2014 budget, Baringo County allocated more than Sh1billion to the health sector.

Governor Cheboi said his county has put in systematic approach to end discrimination in promotions of health workers.

 “I urge all those on strike to go back to work and save lives. There is nothing to fear. All the funds for health sector had been brought down to the county level,” added Cheboi.

So far, two people have reportedly lost their lives in the ongoing strike at Kabarnet District Hospital, which is the largest hospital in the county.

The Governor, however, said that to save more lives, the county has offered to provide transport through its ambulances to ferry patients in need of emergency assistance to different private hospitals in Nakuru and Eldoret.

Baringo County Assembly Speaker William Kamket echoed the governor’s sentiments, saying that counties were the only place where the affairs of the health workers would be well taken care of.

“The health workers have no reason to remain in the national government. With devolution, health workers will not have to travel all the way to Afya House in Nairobi to raise their issues as they will be solved at the county,” said Kamket. He added the Constitution cannot be applied selectively to favour certain group of professions.