This archive report was first published on 18 May 2020.
As of May 18, 2020, over 400 clinical officers in Kisii County had downed tools to demand two months' salary arrears.
Their union officials, speaking to The Standard in Kisii town, stated that their members would remain absent from work until the county government released the pay.
Victor Bwanchete, the union's Kisii branch executive secretary, accused the county government of failing to honour a promise to pay them, despite their efforts to combat the coronavirus.
“It is unfair that clinical officers who are providing essential services during this critical moment stay up to two months without getting their salaries yet they are supposed to be motivated to ensure that locals are safe from Covid-19 and other diseases,” Mr Bwanchete said.
According to Mr Bwanchete, the branch officials had met with Kisii Governor James Ongwae the previous week, with the governor promising to ensure they were paid.
However, Kisii County Health CEC Sarah Omache stated that they were facing challenges in paying the salaries of all county employees due to the delay in disbursement of funds from the national Treasury.
