Tension is high in Siaya County after a violent end to a peaceful protest by striking nurses left over 20 health workers injured and the county government scrambling to contain the fallout.
On Tuesday, September 30, what began as a peaceful demonstration outside Governor James Orengo’s office turned into mayhem when an unidentified group of attackers swooped down on the nurses, assaulting them with what witnesses describe as brutal force.
Videos and photos circulating online show nurses many still in uniform scratching for cover as blows rained down.
In response, the county government has dispatched its Head of the Law Enforcement Unit and all the enforcement officers who were on duty that day on 30-day compulsory leave.
The move, announced Thursday in a letter authored by the County Head of Public Service Joseph Ogutu, is meant to pave the way for a proper investigation into what exactly went wrong and who was to blame.
“We are deeply disturbed by the violence that took place,” said Ogutu. “Every professional, including our frontline health workers, has the right to express their grievances peacefully and without fear. What happened on Tuesday was unacceptable.”
Ogutu also condemned the attack and demanded that national security agencies thoroughly investigate, promising that the county would not shield anyone found guilty.
He also publicly apologized to the injured nurses and wished them quick recoveries.
Nevertheless, even as the county government tries to limit the damage, indignation is simmering.
The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) issued a statement on Wednesday, accusing the county of using hired goons to disperse the protest a claim Siaya authorities are yet to directly address.
“Nurses were beaten and left bleeding simply because they asked for their rights,” the union said. “If county governments think violence is the solution to industrial disputes, they’re playing with fire.”.
The union has threatened a national strike if the matter is not addressed promptly and transparently.
Behind the headlines are people nurses who have been working under difficult conditions for months, if not years, and now find themselves not only overworked and underpaid, but physically assaulted for speaking out.
One of the nurses who were injured during the protest explained, “We were sitting peacefully with our placards when they attacked us. I still don’t know who they were. I ran, but not everyone got out unhurt.”.
While Ogutu urged nurses to follow “established channels” to voice their concerns, health workers claim those channels have repeatedly failed them. For most, the strike and Tuesday’s demonstration were last resorts after months of stalled salary payments and deteriorating working conditions.
The government of Governor Orengo has expressed a willingness to negotiate, with Ogutu citing previous successful talks with healthcare professionals. But after this week’s violence, trust is fragile and time is running out.
As investigations begin and enforcement officers step aside, all eyes now turn to Siaya. For the attacked nurses, for their colleagues across Kenya, and for a public that depends on their care, one thing is clear: silence is no longer an option.
