President Kenyatta has termed the ongoing strike unlawful and given the striking nurses until Friday 8 am to resume duty or be sacked.
While speaking from State House accompained with the governors, the president insisted the need to obey court orders which the nursing union officials have vowed to disregard.
President Kenyatta: I held a meeting with the leadership of health and the CoG to discuss the important issue of the provision of health services
National and county governments have a cardinal responsibility to provide adequate and accessible healthcare to all Kenyans pic.twitter.com/ropOJ7XQIg
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) February 13, 2019
“It is disheartening to hear officials of the nursing union declare that they will not obey court orders,” Uhuru said.
“One of the most important principles our republic has established is the rule of law and no one is above the law.
“Obeying court orders is not optional and it is a requirement of all of us no matter their place in the society,” the president added.”
President Kenyatta: It is disheartening to learn that some of our nurses have decided to engage in an unlawful withdrawal of their labour to Kenyans against the determination of the employment and labour relations court which suspended any industrial action for 60 days pic.twitter.com/VITIhL0oaq
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) February 13, 2019
This comes after nurses working at four referral hospitals in Nairobi insisting that they will not return to work until their demands are met.
The president held a closed-door meeting with the Council of Governors (CoG) and health officials to iron out issues and end the strike that has paralyzed health provision services across a number of counties.
A number of counties have however paid the nurses, sparing patients the agony of lack of services.
While acknowledging the importance of the health workers in the achievement of his government’s agenda, Uhur said, “We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our nurses working in public hospitals.”
“We will improve the working conditions and remunerating of all critical players of the implementation of big 4 agenda. ”
“Indeed the spirit of devolution was to bring services closer to wananchi and the situation as it is now is clearly not desirable,” Uhuru added.
“Human resources including our nurses make up an important component in the provision of health services in our country. ”
CoG had moved to court to challenge the legitimacy of the strike and the employment and labor relations court suspended any industrial action for 60 days but the nurses vowed not retreat until their demands were met.
The health workers and devolved governments were required by the court to file reports in court and wait further directions.
Watch the address below.