Africa-Press – Kenya. Striking doctors in Kisii on Saturday accused Governor Simba Arati of making light of their plight in regards to a two-month salary delay. The pay row has also affected other county staff who have been on a week-long go slow. Doctors’ strike started on Thursday midnight.
The medics through their union officials now want the National government to strip counties of the health function over “glaring incompetencies to manage the docket well.”
“If indeed he confirmed he doesn’t have control over how workers are paid, he should transfer the function to the national government,” KMPDU regional Treasurer Linda Kemunto said.
They said the sector has been dominated by constant industrial strikes since devolution took effect. The doctors across all health facilities in Kisii had by Saturday not received a penny in their accounts, three days since the Governor said the money had been dispatched.
In a statement on Thursday, Arati said all salaries had been disbursed to staff accounts and that “some have already made withdrawals.” He, however, told the striking doctors that he does not control the flow of cash from Treasury to the devolved unit and thus they should not dare him with strike threats.
Arati threatened to relieve the medics of their duties if they make good their threats. On Saturday, however, the doctors accused the governor of intimidating them. Led by secretary general Aggrey Orwenyo, the union officials told the governor off over threats to sack them for rightfully demanding for their dues.
“He should stop intimidating and victimising county workers, doctors inclusive, with transfers. Doctors are not doing anything illegal by asking that their salaries be quickly processed,” Orwenyo said.
The standoff between the medics, Orwenyo said, has been worsened by the failure by the governor to communicate back even after writing to him severally.
“There has never been a formal response to our letters. Instead, all we receive are verbal threats at at public functions.” Kemunto said it is only fair and just that the employer meets his part of the contract.
“We have labour laws, policies and the CBA that stipulate workers should be paid on time, promoted, supported in career development through training and education opportunities, and granted leave, among other benefits,” she told the Star .
The ongoing standoff, she said, can only mean the county government leadership has failed to manage its workforce. “If the employer cannot pay salaries and claim that money comes from treasury, while other government ministries, parastatals and counties have paid December salaries, it points to some level of malaise somewhere,” Kemunto said.
She said such challenges are among the reasons medics have been calling for the formation of a Health Service Commission. Kemunto stated that the lack of focus on the welfare of doctors has relegated them to attend to their needs first before those of the society.
“A hungry doctor under financial stress is a risk to the patient. We cannot afford to endanger lives of patients, by putting them under the care of mentally distressed care givers,” Kemunto said.
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