Health workers protest over seven months’ unpaid salaries

105 workers who provide general cleaning services at the Machakos Level Five hospital have protested after going without pay for seven months.

The workers whose employer has been contracted to render such services in all departments of the hospital said they were now entering the eighth month without receiving their salaries.

Addressing the Press, the workers most of whom are single mothers said they have been getting false promises from the employer.

"Some of us have been evicted from where we live for failing to pay rent and are spending nights in the streets with our children with nothing to feed them," said one of the staff.

Efforts to get a comment from the said contractor were futile.

The workers also faulted the county government for failing to intervene in their problem yet they voted for it.

When contacted, the health minister in the county government Dr Vincent Kituku, disowned the workers saying they were not in the county Government's workers docket but that of the contractor who is their employer.

Kituku advised them to liaise with the employer for their grievances as the county government could do very little to help them since they are under a different employer.

The workers said some of them have been fed by well-wishers who sympathise with them and some have withdrawn the help after getting fed up.

They wondered why Governor Alfred Mutua, has not raised an eyebrow on their tribulations despite having known the matter through their outcry.

"We know our Governor has been on the record for championing for the rights of Kenyans and we wonder why for our case he has been lying low," asked one of the protesters.

They said their work was sensitive as they intermingle with sick persons and health-hazardous environment risking their health and wonder why they are being subjected to all that suffering.

They demanded that the county government clear the air over the matter as to whether it had not paid the contractor for all those months or it was gameplay to continue mistreating them.

They, however, opted to remain on duty as they pursue their salaries for fear of being replaced with others before getting their pay.