Hospital cleaners protest over 10 month unpaid dues

Turkana Sunday May 7, 2023

KNA by Peter Gitonga

Cleaners at Lodwar county referral hospital on Friday held a peaceful protest to the governor's office over 10 month unpaid dues.

The workers complained of lack of a defined contract from the company and alleged harsh treatment by their supervisors whenever they raised concerns over their payment. 

They said that failure to receive payment had affected their lives and made it difficult for them to pay school fees for their children.

The workers had complained about lack of a defined contract from the company and the harsh treatment by their supervisors whenever they raised concerns over their payment. They said that the failure to receive payment had affected their lives and made it difficult for them to pay school fees for their children.

Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai directed the County Public Service Board to vet and recruit 70 cleaners who work for a company contracted by the County Government to undertake cleaning services at Lodwar County Referral Hospital. 

The Governor issued the directive after meeting with the casual workers who had gone to his office to protest over unpaid dues.

Addressing the workers, the Governor underscored the importance of their services in ensuring the smooth operation of the hospital. 

He promised to follow up on the payment of the company to ensure that the workers received their ten-month arrears. 

He also acknowledged that the workers had the right to seek their rights and that they had persevered working without pay for over ten months now.

"The services you render are very important, without you the hospital will not operate. We have agreed that the vetting process beginning today will determine the right staff who will be recruited from next week as permanent staff of the county," he said.

The Governor pointed out that the County Government should have contracted a company that could pay its staff regardless of whether there was money or not. He further promised to pursue fairness for all parties, ensuring that the staff were paid, and the company received its pending bills.

The Chief Officer for Preventive and Promotive Services, Peter Lomurukai, assured the workers that the Department was working to settle pending bills owed to Asegis Company.

The meeting was attended by County Secretary Peter Eripete, County Executive for Public Service, Administration and Disaster Management James Wang’iros, and Ag. Public Service Board Chairperson Pauline Ekod.

Courtesy; K.N.A