This archive report was first published on 7 October 2019.
Health workers in Kisumu, Kenya, are on the brink of another strike, barely a week after signing a return-to-work agreement. The workers, led by the Clinical Officers Union, are accusing the Kisumu County government of failing to honor the agreement.
According to Vincent Owar, the Clinical Officers Union Chairman, the county government had promised to pay the workers by October 4, but no one has received their salaries yet. 'We had agreed with the county that the cash was to be paid by October 4, and up to now, not even a single person has received money in their accounts,' Owar said.
The workers are now threatening to down their tools, citing the county's lack of commitment to the return-to-work agreement. 'We can't even work in peace as our landlords are seeking rent, and the banks are demanding for payment of a loan that hasn't been paid since June,' Owar added.
The Kisumu County government, however, disputes the workers' claims, saying that they have already paid the salaries and that it's only taking time for the payments to reflect in the workers' accounts. 'We make payments through IFMIS and banks close transactions over the weekend, but we have already dispatched the cash,' said Aloice Ager, the Kisumu County Communication Director.
As a result, the health workers are urging Kisumu residents to seek medical attention from private facilities, as they will be keeping off from the hospitals until their demands are met.
