Nurses employed under the Universal Health Coverage by the Ministry of Health are demanding to be absorbed by the Kilifi County government and put on permanent and pensionable basis. 

The 45 nurses picketed in Kilifi town and presented a petition to the office of the Governor, calling on him to respond to their pleas. 

They were joined by officials of the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) Coast region branch led by the Industrial Relations Officer Peter Maroko who decried the poor pay while demanding equal payment and treatment like those employed by the county government.

 “We are here as UHC nurses employed in a contract with a peanut salary of Ksh. 50,000 before deduction compared to their counterparts employed by the county government who earn between Ksh. 80,000 and Ksh. 200,000 and that is why we downed our tools in demanding that the 45 nurses be absorbed by the county government of Kilifi,” he said. 

According to the demonstrators, they have endured five years of unfair contracts with significantly lower salaries than PNP nurses, despite performing the same duties. 

Beatrice Mbeyu, a UHC nurse, stated that their working conditions were good but their payment and allowances which are catered for by the national government were dire. 

“It is unfair that we are doing the same work as the PNP nurses but we are paid less. We demand that the county government address this disparity immediately and find it good to employ us,” she said. 

In addition to the disparity in pay, the nurses highlighted that those whose contracts have ended have not been paid their gratuity yet their contracts had been extended for three. 

Mr. Mlazo Hinzano, a representative of the UHC nurses in the County said that they wanted a sit down with Governor Gideon Mung’aro to iron out the issues. 

“We simply want to be treated equally and fairly. Our dedication and hard work should be recognized and rewarded accordingly. And we are also demanding our five year gratuity. We want Governor Mung’aro to listen to us,” he said. 

The head of the Governor’s Delivery Unit Fikirini Jacobs who received their petitions agreed to organize a meeting between the aggrieved nurses and the governor but encouraged the nurses to apply for vacancies that had been flouted by the county government. 

“You have been offering services to the people of Kenya after being engaged with the national government and you believe that devolution is here and you want to be employed by the county government and your kind request is fair and I understand some of you applied for the vacancies advertised by the county government. I will organize a meeting with the governor so that you can talk and a solution be found,” he said.