Kenyan Nurses Vow to Defy President Kenyatta’s Order to Return to Work

Kenyan nurses have vowed to continue with their strike despite President Kenyatta's order to return to work.

Speaking hours after President Kenyatta ordered the health workers to return to work or face dismissal, the nurses union has urged members to stay put.

Speaking during a media briefing on Wednesday afternoon, Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary-General Seth Panyako says the health workers will not succumb to intimidation by the State.

“The strike is a right and properly in place, we shall give them directions,” says Panyako.

On his part, KNUN Chairman Joseph Bwasi says the union does not receive orders from State House.

“We are not responding to the President but rather the status of the ongoing strike across the country,” he says.

“The union leadership has a mandate drawn from our membership; the ongoing strike thereby is determined by the members through the branch leadership. We the national leaders can only be directed by the branch leadership.”

Bwasi has urged the government to solve the problems affecting nurses instead of issuing threats.

“The country’s leadership should dispense justice to the nurses, if our pending issues are addressed then we shall put an end to this unrest,” he notes.

Addressing the nation from State House, President Kenyatta says nurses who will not have reported to work by Friday will be fired.

“As the Commander in Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, I have instructed National Police Service to take stern action on picketers who may intimidate public servants who intend to go to work,” he warns.