Kirinyaga MCAs have urged striking health workers to resume work and dialogue with the county government.
Speaking at the county assembly during a presser, Majority leader Kamau Murango who was flanked by more than 10 ward reps, said dialogue is the only way to end the stalemate even as the strike entered its third day.
Murango said the initial problem at the hospitals was hygiene and “it has been rectified”.
He urged the health workers to talk about other issues they want to be addressed instead of continuing with the strike “since it is the common mwananchi suffering”.
“We treasure our workers but let them also understand we have alternative dispute resolution so that Wanjiku does not continue to suffer,” he said.
He told the striking workers to resume work to allow the assembly to lead negotiations between the workers’ unions and the executive.
Residents are forced to seek health services from the neighbouring counties of Embu, Murang’a and Nyeri. “Our people are using a lot of money travelling to the neighbouring counties to seek treatment since they cannot afford to pay for health services in private facilities.”
The ward rep said the assembly will not side with the medics since the county had obtained a temporary injunction at a Nairobi court, halting the strike and hence the industrial action is in itself an illegality.
The MCA, however, distanced the assembly from an advert in one of the dailies on Thursday inviting applicants for positions of the striking health workers.
He said ward reps are not aware if the advert is meant to replace or add the number of health workers. The ward rep said it is the prerogative of Governor Anne Waiguru to sack them should they continue holding an illegal strike.
''Should the governor decide to sack the striking workers, that will be a problem of their making since they are in defiance of the courts where they will also need to file their grievances."
Doctors, nurses, clinicians and laboratory technicians in the county through their respective unions downed their tools on Wednesday demanding promotion of members, employment of more staff and improved sanitation in health facilities.
Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union Central secretary general Gor Goody said the strike will only come to an end if the county government meets their demand or Waiguru allows for dialogue.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)
