- On Monday, KMPDU union officials who led the demonstrations in Kisii town streets spoke of failure by the County to give doctors and clinicians promotions.
- They also railed the County for refusing to give them study leaves among other grievances.
Health care staff in Kisii, in dozens, Monday took to the streets to protest against the Kisii county adminstration.
County health officials, however, said the protest was a flop adding that the few that were in the streets were medical students.
"As I speak to you, patients are being attended to and I congratulate those who ignored the call to strike," said health executive Ronald Nyakweba.
"He said the County Governor Simba Arati had already reached an agreement with the health staff Friday and there was no strike but 'small noise' in the streets."
Nurses, however, reported to work as usual after they opted out Friday after a meeting following with Governor Arati.
On Monday, KMPDU union officials who led the demonstrations in Kisii town streets spoke of failure by the County to give doctors and clinicians promotions.
They also railed the County for refusing to give them study leaves among other grievances.
This, they said, amounted to an official invite to the industrial strike they would be orchestrating this week.
The protests will go on till the administration cedes ground and commits to addressing their demands, they warned.
"We shall only oblige to return to work if the government of Kisii sees the sense in fulfilling the contents of the 2019 collective bargaining agreement failure to which there shall be no work," said Nyanza Union Chair Onyango Ndona who led the protests.
He said the County was subjecting patients to unnecessary suffering for failing to fulfil their demands.
"Yes we know the patients are suffering but let them know it is the impunity of their County that has forced us to withdraw services, "he told journalists.
Ndona further condemned the attack on the KMPDU union chair during a demonstration in Nairobi last week.
Victor Bwanchete, Clinical Union regional chair, said they had given the County over ten demands that must be fulfilled before they opt out of the industrial strike.
" We have all along been ready for negotiations but we are being taken around in circles with no tangible deal," he stated.
He spoke of what he referred to as intimidation and constant transfer of staff deemed vocal against impunity.
"You cannot transfer people left right and centre just because they are expressing their views. We say no intimidation to union officials," he said.
At least 24 clinical officers, he stated, have not been paid for more than two years now.
"We are here on account of that failure by the administration to fulfill our demands. We shall only oblige to return to work if the government of Kisii wakes up someday and fulfils the contents of the 2019 collective bargaining agreement," said Bwachete.