Kisumu County gov’t sues health workers over ongoing strike

The Kisumu County government has now moved to court seeking to stop the ongoing healthcare workers’ strike citing paralysis of services in key medical facilities in the county as a result of the industrial action.

The county, through the office of the attorney, has sued four unions namely the Kenya Union of Nurses (KNUN), Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), Kenya National Union of Pharmaceutical Technologists (KNUPT), and Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNUMLO).

However, Employment and Labour Relations Court Justice Stephen Radido did not grant the county’s prayers to stop the ongoing strike pending a hearing and determination of the matter.

Justice Radido instead ordered the respondents to file and serve their responses before the end of Monday next week and appear before him on Tuesday, April 25, for further directions.

In court documents, the county argues that the matter is of public importance and lives of hundreds of thousands of Kisumu residents are at risk, citing the current Cholera outbreak which could spiral as a result of the strike.

The county cited the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) as having adversely affected Kisumu as a result of the strike action, thereby putting at risk the lives of those who are critically ill.

The healthcare workers' strike entered the third day on Friday as medics kept off their stations of duty with minimal activities witnessed in the affected public hospitals.