Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati has told striking health workers he is unable to meet their demands because the solution lies with the national government.
"The issues that are being raised by health workers must be addressed by the national government. Our hands as a county government are tied," he said on Tuesday.
Striking health workers are demanding promotions, salaries, safety at work, insurance, risk allowances, redesignations and back pay, among other issues.
They started their strike on Monday last week. Wednesday will be day 10.
Wangamati assured nurses and clinical officers who were contracted in 2011 and 2014 that they would be receiving their promotion letters in two weeks' time.
Kenya Union of Clinical Officers Bungoma branch chairman Simon Omar had accused the county government of neglecting them.
"We have lost many doctors to this pandemic and nurses have vowed not to resume until the government settles our demands," he said.
Omar said nurses in other counties have been promoted, but Bungoma county is still lagging behind. "I urge Wangamati to take this issue positively, we are not here to oppose him," he said.
He said medics aged above 55 years and with underlying conditions should not be put on the frontline in the war against Covid-19.
"Some nurses have underlying medical conditions and the government should stop risking their lives," he said.
