Nurses in Machakos County have threatened to halt services in all public hospitals due to delayed salaries from the county government.
Led by Michael Saka, the Secretary General of the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives, Machakos Branch, the nurses claim they have been unable to repay loans for the past three months due to the delay in their salaries.
Speaking at Machakos Level 5 Hospital, the nurses warned that if their salaries are not paid promptly, they will abandon their duties and return home until their grievances are addressed by the county government.
The county employs approximately 1,350 nurses, who also accuse the hospital management of harassment. They allege that they are being forced to work 160 hours a month and are required to report to their workstations before 7:30 a.m.
The nurses staged a demonstration outside the office of Health Minister Justus Kasivu, where they were eventually granted an audience.
In response to the allegations, the minister acknowledged the delays in salary payments but assured the nurses that payments would be made by tomorrow.
He attributed the delays to a holdup in the release of funds from the exchequer, which has affected the salaries of all county employees, not just the nurses.
