Obengo hits hard on Panyako after he lost Malava parliamentary seat last year to UDA candidate.
He termed his recent demands about the nurses welfare as theatrics to rejuvenate his financial downtown
Nairobi, Kenya – A scathing attack has been leveled against the leadership of the Nurses’ Union, with allegations that they are more interested in personal financial and political gain than representing the interests of their members.
The criticism, which has sent shockwaves through the healthcare sector, claims that the union’s leaders have been calling incessant strikes over the same issues for over a decade, with little to show for it.
“These leaders are conmen, using the nurses as pawns to further their own interests,” said a source close to the matter. “They derive pleasure from calling strikes, not because they care about the welfare of nurses, but because it gives them a sense of relevance and power.”
The demands made by the union, led by Secretary General Seth Panyako, including failure to convert UHC nurses to permanent and pensionable terms, non-implementation of salary structures, and lack of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs). While these are legitimate concerns, critics argue that the union’s tactics are more about posturing than progress.
“Nurses deserve better than empty threats and blame-shifting,” said a healthcare professional. “The union’s leadership should focus on constructive dialogue instead of using nurses as pawns for their own agendas.”
The union’s threats come despite previous agreements and commitments from the government to address some of these issues. The KNUNM’s actions have been criticized as lacking concrete plans and genuine engagement with stakeholders.
Panyako’s list of converting UHC nurses to permanent terms, implementing salary structures, and signing CBAs, has been dismissed as “old, worthless rhetoric” by critics.
“These are the same issues they’ve been striking over for years, with no results,” said a nurse. “What’s the point of repeating the same demands if nothing changes?”
The union’s tactics have been questioned, with allegations that they’re more focused on personal agendas than genuine advocacy for nurses’ rights.
“Nurses should be wary of these leaders who claim to be fighting for them, but are actually doing nothing,” said the source. “It’s time for nurses to demand accountability and real change.”
The fierce response from his perceived critics comes after his purported led ‘union’ Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) issued another press statement, threatening a nationwide strike over issues that have been dragging on for years.
But the question remains, is the union’s leadership genuinely fighting for nurses, or is this just another attempt to deflect attention from their own failures?
The real question is: Will nurses fall for the same tactics again, or will they demand accountability from their leaders?
The Nurses’ Union has yet to respond to the allegations, but the controversy has sparked outrage among healthcare workers and the public alike.