Meru clinical officers issue strike notice

Clinical officers in Meru have threatened to down tools on Monday citing delayed salaries and non-remittance of statutory deductions.

In letters dated December 13 and addressed to the County Secretary Rufus Miriti, the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (Kuco) branch secretary Moses Baiyenia accused the county government of lacking goodwill and cooperation.

“The finance department has failed to remit statutory deductions since June 2022. This includes NHIF, county pension fund, bank loans, insurance premiums and other third-party deductions. This is despite the money being deducted from workers’ payslips,” Mr Marangu states.

November salaries

They now want an up-to-date remittance of all deductions and immediate payment of November salaries.

In November, Meru health workers accused the acting health chief officer of high-handedness.

Knun chairman Mugambi Bakari then accused the acting chief officer of transferring a union official without following due process.

They also accused the acting chief officer of appointing a certificate holder as head of a programme that should be headed by a medical officer, clinical officer or nursing officer.

"We are scared and at pain to come to terms with another cycle of staff harassment and intimidation. Our concern is will a chief officer who is already on a war path really address workers' issues?" Mr Baiyenia posed.

The health workers’ unions officials also called on governor Kawira Mwangaza to fix perennial salary delays.

"It has become a norm to be paid after 60 days. This practice has condemned workers to a cycle of loans," Mr Baiyenia said.

Last month a high court in Nyeri ordered the county government of Meru to pay more than Sh1.4 million in nurses’ union deductions that were not remitted in January and February 2021.

The county is also required to pay millions of shillings in unpaid salaries for January to April 2021.