Concerns are quietly mounting over the latest wave of health worker recruitment in Mandera County, following the recent induction of new staff that has drawn the ire of several affected employees.
While the county government has publicly celebrated the onboarding process, citing improved healthcare access for residents, behind the scenes, a growing number of newly contracted personnel are expressing dissatisfaction with the terms of employment, particularly the compensation structure, which they claim falls far below national standards.
Sources familiar with the matter allege that the county government has bypassed guidelines set by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), opting instead to issue blanket contracts that offer a consolidated monthly salary of KSh 60,000 to nursing officers, without clearly defined allowances or job groups.
This move, they say, not only undermines established salary frameworks for public healthcare professionals but also reflects a broader disregard for equitable labor practices within devolved units.
Many of the affected workers, still fresh in their roles, have begun voicing concerns informally and discreetly due to fear of reprisal.
It is understood that the job advertisements, which were circulated around August 2024, made no explicit mention of SRC-aligned remuneration structures, leaving a gap in expectations that has since fueled disappointment among recruits.
Coupled with the fact that these employment terms are bound by a limited three-year contract, many of the new hires feel they have been placed in a vulnerable economic position, lured by the promise of employment, but handed terms they see as exploitative.
What has emerged, according to those closely tracking the issue, is a troubling pattern where counties, especially in marginalized regions, appear to leverage high unemployment rates to offer diminished wages to qualified professionals, particularly in critical sectors like healthcare.
While the public narrative celebrates job creation, the underlying reality for these workers tells a far more complex and potentially troubling story.
“Hi Cyprian. I hope this text finds you well. I am a disturbed citizen from Mandera County. If you check Mandera County Twitter post like 22 hours ago, you will find that they are doing an induction for new county health workers. The main issue is about the basic salary and allowance, which the county did not even consider. Rather, they employed them on a consolidated salary of Sh. 60,000 for a nursing officer without considering SRC remuneration. I think you can check from the vacancy advertisement letter issued in August 2024 to confirm for the rest of the health workers, without considering SRC remuneration or even job group. I have interacted with most of those new staff and they are all complaining about their salary. The county took advantage of their unemployment status and decided to issue a peanut pay. Worst of all, the employment term is only a 3-year contract. Kindly address this issue so that this impunity should end.”
