Mombasa — Mombasa county health workers who include nurses, clinical officers and laboratory technicians, on Thursday called off a three-month strike after inking a deal with Governor Hassan Joho’s administration.
The health workers signed a return-to-work formula with the Mombasa County government leadership at the Governor’s office.
The over 1,200 health workers went on strike on November 15 2020.
According to Peter Maroko, the Secretary General of the Kenya National Union of Nurses, they had raised at least seven issues among them; salaries delays, lack of promotion and non-remittance of statutory deductions as the reason for their strike.
“It was not our wish to go in this direction (strike). We want to appeal to the Mombasa County government to always allow us to resolve issues amicably,” said Maroko.
He said they are essential workers, therefore they should be treated with dignity they deserve.
“We should be given priority and our issues resolved well. After agreeing with the Mombasa County, we hereby call off the strike and ask our members to go back to work,” said the official.
Franklin Makanga, who represented the Kenya Union of Clinical Workers, it has been a long journey of back and forth, but finally the matters have been addressed.
Kenya National Union of Laboratory Officers, represented by Moses Maingi, said they appreciate the efforts done by the county to resolve the health workers crisis.
Mombasa County Chief of Staff , Joab Tumbo, said the issues of statutory deductions, promotions and delayed salaries have been since resolved.
“All the issues raised by the health workers have been addressed. I want to thank the Mombasa County leadership for bringing this crisis to an end,” he said.