Governor Waiguru gets green light to fire striking Kirinyaga County medics

A Nyeri court on Thursday declared a strike by over 750 Kirinyaga medics as illegal, thereby paving way for disciplinary action against them by the county government.

Employment and Labour Relations Court Justice Nzioki wa Makau gave the directive following an application by Kirinyaga County Government against the medics over the strike that has left health services in the county paralysed.

Justice Makau termed the strike as “unlawful, unprotected, prohibited” and against an existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and a Recognition Agreement between the applicant and the unions.

Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru, in a statement released Thursday following the court order, urged health sector service providers to take into account the needs of citizens before resorting to industrial action.

She however extended an olive branch to the medics saying those who return to work by Friday 12pm will continue with their employment.

Governor Waiguru further stated that those who fail to report for duty will be terminated and the vacancies availed to already shortlisted candidates.

“Medical personnel who choose to return back to work immediately will not be victimized for their past participation in the illegal strike action,” she added.

“Going forward, I have requested the Senator of Kirinyaga County, Hon. Charles Kibiru to convene sessions to address concerns in the health sector while bearing in mind the constraints faced by the County Government.”

The medics previously defied an order that suspended the strike after the court found that efforts to amicably resolve the dispute as per provisions of the CBA were not adhered to.

The health workers downed their tools on May 26, 2019 complaining that medical equipment at Kerugoya Referral Hospital were not working.

They further sought reinstatement of the hospital’s 346 casual health workers who were sacked by the county government in a bid to reduce the ballooning wage bill.