Over 2,000 health workers in Mombasa County go on strike
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir with Senator Mohamed Faki attend Jamhuri Day Celebrations at the Mama Ngina Waterfront, Mombasa City.
Services at most Coast region’s largest referral facility, the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH), Tudor, Likoni, and Port Reitz sub-county public hospitals are operating at minimal with health workers offering critical services.
The more than 2, 000 health workers including specialists in Mombasa County were to down tools today following the expiry of their strike notice over their October and November salary delay, five months of statutory deductions and other remittances.
However, the strike has been suspended after the county government.
“The salary delays in Mombasa are appalling and a manifestation of great injustice. This has continued for many years now and it is a matter that needs to be addressed urgently. The National Office was fully appraised about the planned industrial action,” said Pharmacists and Dentists Unions (KMPDU) National Secretary General Dr Davji Bhimji.
He said the union has been served with a court order putting a stop to the industrial action.
“After further discussion with the Union's legal team, we have been advised to obey the court orders as being in contempt of it will compromise the more than 10 active cases the Union has around the country including against Mombasa County,” he said.
However, the health workers condemned the Governor for stopping their strike saying it is their right as employees to demand for their dues.
The specialists' doctors, nurses, clinical officers, pharmacists and other health workers said their efforts to seek lasting solutions with the county government have hit a dead end.
“Governor Abdulswamad Nassir said he has remitted our October salary, but it has not been reflected in our accounts," said the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Unions (KMPDU) Coast branch officials who sought anonymity.
The county has around 5300 employees.
In an interview, the medics said financial institutions have listed most of Mombasa's health workers in the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) and debtors confiscating their belongings due to huge debts.
Kenya Union of Clinical officers’ unionist, Mr Moses Maingi said their efforts to resolve the stalemate have hit a dead end.
"Governor should understand an industrial action, is our right. We want all our dues before we call off the strike. This is not political although politicians have abandoned us yet they pleaded for our support during elections. Five years is such a short time," said Mr Maingi.
The health workers accused Mombasa leaders led by MPs, Omar Mwinyi (Changamwe), Zamzam Mohammed (woman representative), Mishi Mboko (Likoni), Mohammed Ali (Nyali), Badi Twalib (Jomvu), Rashid Bedzimba (Kisauni), Mohammed Machele (Mvita) and senator Mohammed Faki of turning a blind eye to the challenges besieging the county.
They further accused the County Assembly and human rights groups of failing to defend workers' rights.
Kenya National Union of Nurses Mombasa Branch Secretary Ms Emily Murusoi said their meetings with county leadership have been unfruitful.
They wondered why other counties pay their workers on time saying the county boss should prioritise the health sector.
A Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital nurse Mr Stanley Mwailangho said during campaigns Governor Nassir pledged to sort out the salary challenges however he is reinventing the wheel left by his predecessor Mr Hassan Joho.
"If Governor pays us a month's salary, we won't go back to work we want all our dues. He is very new in that leadership post, we are old and seniors he must respect us. Why is salary delays a perennial problem in Mombasa?" he asked.
On Friday, during a press conference in his office, Governor Nassir pleaded with his healthcare workforce to have a human heart, understand his predicament, empathise with sick patients in hospitals and call of the strike.
"Only November salary is pending. I am barely 90 days old in office, and despite it, I have managed to pay their Pay as You Earn Sh365 million arrears and three months salaries. I have also negotiated with financial institutions to ensure they are paid on time," said Mr Nassir.
The first-term Governor said he has engaged different financial institutions to ensure county employees are not listed in CRB however, the employees said they have already been blacklisted.
