'Barbaric and unconstitutional': Nurses cry foul over brutal assault in Siaya strike

Kisumu County nurses on the streets after downing their tools to demand their salary increment. [Michael Mute, Standard]

Nurses across the country have condemned the attack on their colleagues in Siaya County who were physically assaulted while demonstrating on Tuesday.

Speaking on Wednesday during a press briefing at their union offices in Nairobi, leaders of the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) expressed disappointment with the “terror unleashed” on their counterparts as they demanded their rights.

They accused Governor James Orengo’s administration of sponsoring “a disturbing, illegal, unconstitutional and brutal way of dealing with the nurses who are on strike.”

“Using goons to resolve the dispute is not one of the methods contemplated in the Constitution of Kenya, Clause 41,” they stated.

“We want to tell Governor Orengo that you are known for many years as having fought for the rights of Kenyans. You cannot therefore become a governor and turn into a rogue government official,” said union Secretary-General Seth Panyako.

KNUN National Chairman Joseph Ngwasi added: “They posed no threat. They were not carrying any weapon to warrant sending goons to attack them. They did not intend to oust the governor. Why treat them with such impunity?”

The nurses in Siaya County have been on strike since 10 September, after the county leadership failed to address their grievances.

According to Mr Panyako, five health workers were badly injured during the attack, including a female nurse who suffered a broken arm, while others sustained fractures.

The injured nurse is receiving hospital treatment.

“Others have undergone treatment for injuries sustained as a result of the goons unleashed on them,” he said.

He added: “We want to tell the governor of Siaya that you must desist from using unorthodox, grotesque, unconstitutional and barbaric methods of resolving the issues that affect nurses.”

The union said the county health workers took to the streets to push the devolved unit to remit third-party deductions including bank loans, Sacco shares, insurance, pensions, share contributions, and union dues.

They are also protesting against the delayed absorption of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff, as well as the non-implementation of a Salaries and Remuneration Commission circular that directed improved salaries for civil servants.

They further want the 2017 return-to-work formula implemented so that nurses can “benefit from what was mutually negotiated and promised by the union and the government.”

“There is an acute shortage of nurses, which has compromised service delivery in Siaya County,” KNUN stated.

The union warned that failure by Governor Orengo’s administration to address the concerns could lead to a nationwide escalation of the strike.

“If you continue using brutal force, we will not be calm. We shall instead call for a regional strike. And if you still do not resolve the matter, we shall escalate the industrial action nationwide,” said Mr Panyako.