Mt Elgon Hospital Casual Workers Strike Over 7 Months Pay

By Isabella Maua

Mt. Elgon Sub County Hospital casual workers downed their tools on Thursday morning, decrying lack of payment for the past seven months.

Speaking on behalf of casual workers who were armed with twigs and placards that expressed their grievances, Monica Kayos, the officer in charge of casual workers, said that they have followed up on the delayed payments in vain.

“We have engaged our county government through our medical superintendent, administrator, and account, but they’ve always been given the same answer: money will be sent to us the following week,” bemoaned Kayos.

The casual workers also cited that, despite the fact that they had been told that their NHIF and NSSF contributions had been paid for them in June 2023, whenever they received their pay for the rest of the months, the same deductions had been made.

Ibrahim Ndiema, officer in charge of maintenance at the hospital, stood in solidarity with the workers, calling upon the government to act hastily and settle the matter at hand.

Dr. Joram Walubanda stated categorically that services to the hospital have not been halted by doctors or other medical practitioners but by casuals working on contract.

“Our gates have been closed by the workers who are demonstrating peacefully for their pay, and we cannot stop them since it’s their right; however, we shall resume normal operations once the gate is opened since some new borns have had to go home before receiving polio vaccination,” he stated.