Confusion as nurses hold two parallel annual general meetings

There was confusion in Kisumu as two factions of the National Nurses Association of Kenya (NNAK) held parallel annual general meetings Wednesday.

The AGM was earlier scheduled for Tom Mboya Labour College (TMLC) between October 7 and 9 but the programme was delayed after members split and one group decided to hold the meeting at Royal City Hotel. Nurses had a hard time locating the genuine meeting with some having to juggle the two meetings.

The group at Royal City Hotel was led by Jeremia Maina while the one at Tom Mboya Labour College was led by Alfred Obengo.

The sharp division may compromise skill development of members of the profession as the two factions have been forced to split an Annual Scientific Conference (ASC) where they were expected to share on health researches to improve their work.

On the association's official Facebook page, there were reactions to the confusion with the page administrator clarifying that "Due to external interference and deteriorated security situation at TMLC, which was further worsened today by the events that were reported in electronic media, we wish to notify all our members and partners that the planned 2015 ASC/AGM that was slated for October 7 to 9 2015 at the college has been moved to Royal City Hotel."

Both groups, however, held the parallel meetings, with each team accusing the other of misleading nurses through illegal meetings.

NNAK has been split since May when a splinter group led by Mr Obengo took over the leadership of the association after a special general meeting was held on May 8.

Addressing the media, Obengo who is the association's secretary, said the registrar of societies had revoked Mr Maina's leadership after a complaint by members.

Legitimate association

The complaint was lodged after the leaders could not account for Sh65 million.

He said the former leadership had illegally formed a company without members' consent, a situation which led to the siphoning of nurses' money. But Maina insisted that his team was the legitimate association, supported by 77 out of the 79 members of the National Executive Council.