The Ministry of Medical Services has refused to pay December salaries to striking nurses. Instead of a salary the nurses, who have been striking for month this week, received a harsh letter from the office of the PS in the Ministry of Medical Services.Sources we spoke to said that at least 54 nurses had received the letters from the Ministry with most of them being sent to the Coast General Hospital.
In line with the brinkmanship adopted by Medical Services Minister Anyang Nyong’o, the letter admonished the nurses for absconding their duties;
“It has been brought to the attention of this office that you absconded duty since December 3, 2012 and to date your whereabouts are unknown,” read the letter.
“It has further been reported that you have been participating in an illegal strike organised by the unregistered Kenya National Union of Nurses, fully aware that the union has no capacity to call a strike.”
“You are therefore called upon to show cause why disciplinary action should not be taken against you.”
A common response was that of Coast Nurses Union official Peter Moroko who said that the nurses “…will not relent and will fight for our rights.”
When reached Nurses Association of Kenya chairman Jeremiah Maina confirmed that the Ministry had stopped salaries;
“As far as we are concerned, no nurse has received a letter of dismissal. However, we have information that some of the nurses have letters transferring them or stopping their salaries,” Mr Maina said.
-The Kenyan DAILY POST
