• She warned that the workers' industrial action is illegal.
• Waiguru reiterated her earlier position that the strike had been politicised and accused her rivals of using money to compromise union officials.
Image: GEOFFREY KIBISU
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has threatened to sack striking health workers who will not have reported to work by Thursday.
She warned that the workers' industrial action is illegal.
Waiguru spoke on Wednesday at Kiambatha Primary school in Gichugu constituency where she distributed Hass avocado seedlings to farmers.
The county boss said she will not sit back and let innocent residents suffer due to the industrial action by health workers that has paralysed services across all public hospitals in the county.
"Let the striking workers know the strike is unprotected since we have a court order preventing them from downing their tools. We are going to sack any health worker who will not have reported to work by Thursday,'' she stated.
The tough-talking Waiguru said she can only negotiate with the workers' unions over their demands once the medics report back to work and not while they are still on strike.
I hear they are calling for negotiations, let them report to work then we can have a round table meeting and see what we can do as a county.Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru
Even as the strike entered its second week, Waiguru reiterated her earlier position that the strike had been politicised and accused her rivals of using money to compromise union officials.
The Star could not however independently verify the claim.
"We have evidence our rivals bribed union officials to call the strike so that they can scuttle my agenda in the health sector...they will not succeed," she said.
The governor said the strike happened when the county had rolled out the Universal Health Care that aims to register every vulnerable family in the county at sh 1,700 per house every year.
This aims at ensuring residents get free and quality health services.
Last week the county advertised positions for health workers across board in a local daily.
In the advert, the county advertised for 300 positions for nurses, 60 medical doctors among other positions.
The striking health workers are demanding promotions, additional staff including casual workers and further training for doctors and improved hygiene in health facilities.
The strike has the backing from national unionists who have visited Kirinyaga to show solidarity with the workers.
Kirinyaga Jubilee Party chairman Mureithi Kangara called on Waiguru to sack the striking workers since it is the locals who are suffering yet the doctors can afford services in private facilities.
Speaking at Kagio Market in Mwea constituency on Wednesday, Kangara said the governor should not let Kirinyaga residents die due to the ''greed'' of a few people whose stomachs are full and thankless to their employer.