Street children in Kisii Town disrupt nurses’ demo, warns them

Street children block the Kisii-Kisumu Road holding crude weapons. [Photo: Sammy Omingo/Standard]

Street children in Kisii Town on Monday disrupted demonstrations by striking nurses.

More than 20 street children majority armed with wooden clubs and stones blocked the nurses at the Kisii- Kisumu Road and warned the members against stepping into Kisii Town. Without explaining why, the children said they would not allow the demo to go on.

The nurses had assembled at the town’s People’s Park before they proceeded for the second week's street demonstrations.

Uniformed officers from the Kisii County Enforcement team watched as the street children and nurses clashed.

Fearing for their safety, the nurses walked to Kisii Police Station demanding security. They were turned away on the excuse there were not enough police officers at the station.

Last week, members of the union could not hold any demonstration in the county owing to sharp divisions between their officials and members.

Members accused their officials of having received handouts to thwart their efforts to hold peaceful demonstrations.

The Union Kisii branch officials; Secretary General Eric Bosire and Chairman Fredrick Oigo told the media that they had served relevant County offices on their ongoing strike.

“Nobody wants to listen to us. We have given them enough time to put their programs in place but they seem not interested in our welfare,” said Mr Bosire.

Mr Oigo said their efforts to meet the area Governor James Ongwae over the stalemate was yet to bear any fruit.

In a letter dated Febuary 4, 2019, Kisii County Government Secretary Patrick Lumumba hard warned KNUN members against the planned demonstrations terming it illegal.

“Any nursing personnel contemplating to participate in the illegal strike should be warned that they will be subjected to disciplinary action in case they leave their duty stations without authorization,” said Lumumba.

In the 2017 agreement, nurses were to receive in an increment of Uniform allowance of Sh15,000 I 2018/19, Sh20,000 in 2019/20 and Sh25,000 2020/21; Sh5,000 increment per year.

They were to receive nursing service allowance of Sh23, 000 in 2018/19, Sh26, 500 in 2019/20 and Sh30, 000 in 2020/21. Sh3, 000, Sh3, 500 and Sh3, 500 in the first second and third years.

They had also agreed that in 30 days of the signing of the agreement, the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) shall be concluded and signed.