Kenneth
Juror | Kenya
The whole
education system has been thrown to the dogs not to mention the health sector. This
is the worrisome situation that our two critical sectors have reached. Three
weeks after opening schools teachers in primary and secondary schools have not
commenced the shortest term of the primary and secondary academic curriculum.
Negotiated Government
We expected
the government to listen keenly to all those agitating for pay hikes as the
same government that refuses to engage them (teachers, doctors e.tc) came about
after a negotiation. This was due to a protracted post poll violence that led
to more than 1,300 dead.
Many a times
it is very demoralizing that a Kenyan worker would go to the extent of issuing
a strike notice for the government to come to the negotiating table, ideally a
strike notice is the last thing after talks have hit a dead end. It is equally appalling
that the same government would issue sack threats at the same time negotiating.
Does the
Ministry of Labour and Human Resource Development work? Why should Hon. John
Munyes continue drawing a salary?
Imminent MP’s pay hike
A month ago the
Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Kenneth O. Marende insisted that MP’s were
not well remunerated. I should perhaps remind Mr. Speaker that they earn 200
times more than the country’s GDP per person – comparative to purchasing power
parity. Kenya is as well not a developed country to warrant such a colossal figure.
Remember that this is the same group that was accused by Ikolomani MP, Bonny Khalwale
that they outstretch themselves to bribes of as low as Sh 30,000.
A fortnight
ago Permanent Sectaries received an increase on their allowances ranging from Sh
10,000 to 40,000. However, the communication workers union and COTU have issued
strike notices if the Minister for Medical Services increases its member’s
contribution to the National Hospital Insurance kitty, what is the raison
d'être? Yet he cannot resolve the doctors’ salary and allowance dispute? Nurses
may also join them this week.
It is funny
that NHIF contributions are arbitrarily increased where as we may not get the
services if the doctors and nurses demands are not met. So why increase?
Does CBA (Collective
Bargaining Agreement) work these days?
I think we need a total GoK salaries. Terms and Conditions revising exercise. At the moment, paying politicians top dollar for sitting in parliament 3-days in a week is not only unfair, it is purely diabolical. It is a shame when we place a premium pay over some constitutional officer with perks that would pay an entire school of teachers salary....
ReplyDeleteWe have completely misplaced our priorities, and someone recently remarked that GoK via Public Service Commission, Ministry of Labour needs to start having a new outlook in the management of their HR department.
The most unfortunate thing is that these people charged with running the concerned ministries over these pay issues take their kids to private IGCSE/KCSE academys, besides attending high-cost private hospitals, thus, they feel no pain.
If we really want to solve the problems we have in Kenya today from education to hospital to roads and poor service, we must make those in power, either by fiat or policy, become users of the self-same services as long as they are employees of the Gvt.
It is a joke, when a Minister sent to negotiate doctor's pay cannot connect that to poor service because s/he will go the US when they fall sick. I say, let them be admitted at KNH, Public wing and you will see how fast the services at the hospital will be improved. Until that happens, these strikes will not end....
iRest.
Thanks as i totally agree with your sentiments
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