By Samson Wire
Nairobi county, Kenya: Nairobi County Boss Governor Mike Sonko together with ( Nairobi Metropolitan Service) NMS Director-General Mohammed Badi, has waded into the health workers strike. They are calling for restraint asking the union officials to give dialogue a chance and put aside their strike.
Sonko and Badi promised to work together amid the strike set to hit health facilities in Nairobian.
‘What they are agitating for we already know. We have worked on them. Let them give time as SRC work on finer details”a. Said Governor Sonko.
The two were speaking outside Kenyatta International Conference Centre( KICC) after attending a title deed issuance. The event was chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta. Residents of Embakasi and Tassia were issued with title deeds in a ceremony which was also attended by all new Nairobi county assembly leadership and MCAs.
Among the assembly leadership were majority leader Abdi Guyo, Majority whip and mihango Mca Paul Kiguathi Kados, deputy majority whip South B Mca Chege waithera, deputy speaker John Kamangu and Robert Mbatia of Kariobangi south among others.
Nairobi county assembly had on last week herald in new leadership changes which saw Matopeni Mca mihango counterpart assume leadership at the assembly and Mca Waithera Chege bringing leadership raws at the assembly to a halt.
Former Makadara MP Hon Benson Mutura was elected by both sides as Speaker replacing Beatrice Elachi who had resigned after leadership stress and pronged bitter exchanges with MCAs.
Sonko applauded the MCAs and asked them to work together to support NMS and president agenda.
He further said all the public hospitals have been equipped with the PPE kits in management of the dreadful Covid-19 pandemic.
Health care workers are the heartbeat of this response and so we are in negotiations and discussions with them to evaluate their concerns to be able to come to a middle ground where we can actually move forward,” he noted
Governor Sonko concurred with NMS Director’s sentiments and agreed to work together to combat the strike.
“I want to condemn the negative union officials inciting the health workers to bring it to an end as we are all aware the workers are being pushed to strike bringing Nairobi and the Nation at a medical crisis,” he said.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists (KMPDU) had earlier on Friday met with the NMS Director-General Badi at a meeting that did not bear fruits. According to Thuranira Kaugiria from KMPDU, the strike officially kicked off on Friday where 320 doctors serving under the Nairobi County are participating.
Nairobi health workers have joined other health workers in various counties’ demanding health insurance, quality PPEs, and COVID-19 allowances. Services at major public facilities like Pumwani Maternity, Mama Lucy Hospital, MMbagathi hospital among others have been brought to a halt leaving many patients in despair.
