Siaya nurses ignore Panyako, vow to continue with strike
Speaking outside the Siaya county assembly, the branch executive secretary lamented that some nurses had gone without salaries for seven months, making it difficult for them to meet basic expenses, including rent, transport and school fees.
Siaya County nurses have refused to comply with the return-to-work order issued by the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) Secretary General Seth Panyako. Frustrated by their employer's failure to address critical grievances, the nurses initiated their industrial action as a branch and subsequently joined a nationwide strike.
Kennedy Hamisi, the Branch Executive Secretary, announced that the primary demands of the nurses are the payment of seven months' salary arrears and the reinstatement of a comprehensive medical insurance plan. The nurses have been striking for months, unable to meet basic expenses such as rent, transportation, and school fees due to unpaid salaries.
Hamisi further expressed concern over the reduction of medical cover, highlighting that the new scheme provides substantially less outpatient benefit compared to the previous one. Denis Omollo, the KNUNM Siaya Branch chairman, accused county officials of ignoring the nurses' grievances, stating that their decision to storm the assembly was to push for a resolution on a petition submitted two weeks ago.
The assembly clerk, Erick Owenga, confirmed that the petition had been forwarded to the speaker for action. Shalom Otieno, a nominated Member of the County Assembly, urged the striking workers to exercise patience, assuring them that the house would address their concerns. The county officials are currently grappling with the impact of the industrial action, which affects both the healthcare sector and the general public.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
