Women activists and workers at Kenyatta National Hospital faced off yesterday following unsubstantiated claims of rape at the facility.
Police blocked protesters from entering the hospital.
The workers at the largest referral hospital in East Africa said the accusatons are baseless and have tainted their image.
The social media claims that nursing mothers have been raped have not been substantiated. No woman has come forward and made a formal report.
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Mildred Owiso, who has been sharing posts on a Facebook group called ‘Buyer Beware’, however, said so far seven women have confided in her about ill-treatment at the hospital.
“If you do not have facts, investigate. We have been very patient, but we can’t take the accusations anymore,” chairman of the works committee Pius Liboi said.
Some 3,000 workers and members of the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Worker threatened a strike yesterday — if no woman made a formal police complaint and if activists failed to apologise.
“Those who have called us murderers and rapists — their days are numbered. Where is this person who says she was nearly raped by a morgue attendant? Liboi asked.
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They also said they would not to go back to work until the state factors their new salary arrears into their 2017 CBA. According to the deal, the lowest-paid worker in group K17 ought to be paid Sh19, 480 and the highest-paid worker in group K8 should take home Sh86,793.
The activists marched from Freedom Corner to Afya House then headed to KNH.
This followed posts of alleged rape and sexual harassment of nursing mothers that went viral on social media, sparking public outrage.
move in groups
The women said they were forced to go in groups to breastfeed their babies on the first floor to avoid being harassed by morgue attendants.
KNH boss Lily Koross says women go in groups because of the feeding schedule. Newborns are breastfed at 6pm, 9pm, midnight and 3am.
Speaking after meeting the National Assembly’s Health Committee in Mombasa, Health CS Cleopa Mailu said DCI is still compiling evidence.
It is to release its report on the KNH claims today.
“This business of telling people to step down because of an allegation is a witch-hunt,” Mailu said.
“As we speak,no one has come out to complain. I am asking victims to report.”
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