Nurses from Kirinyaga Dismiss Waiguru’s Reinstatement as a Mere Publicity Stunt.

The Kirinyaga branch of the Kenya National Union of Nurses has refuted Governor Ann Waiguru’s assertion that 72 fired health workers have been restored.

Governor Waiguru, according to the branch union’s general secretary Karigi, did not bring any fired health workers back to work.

Instead, according to Ms. Karigi, the county administrator reimbursed the 72 healthcare professionals who had been working for three years without pay.

“What  she did is play Public relations stunts the last few days to elections as the issue has become so emotive on the ground,” she said.

According to Ms. Karigi, Wiguru declined to rehire 388 health professionals despite the Public Service Commission’s decision to order their employment.

She claimed that “she is exploiting the group to deceive the voters into believing that it will save her faltering career.”

Speaking on Wednesday in her Kagio residence, Governor Waiguru said that she had renewed the contracts of 388 additional workers and put 72 suspended health professionals back to work.

She claimed that in addition to agreeing to pay their salary arrears from 2019, when they had been suspended as a result of a strike.

A group of Kirinyaga leaders, however, criticized the decision, claiming that she is engaging in political games just days before the August General Elections in an effort to hold onto her position.

They included candidates for governor Wangui Ngirici and Chomba Ndau.

According to Ndau, it is an insult to the hardworking, highly educated, and experienced healthcare workers who had to face a three-year economic, emotional, psychological, and physical upheaval.

The 388 health professionals Waiguru fired are reportedly still in court contesting their unlawful dismissal, according to the nurses union.