Drama ensued at the Kerugoya County Hospital when Kirinyaga Central MP led a group of youths to evict goons who have allegedly taken over the health facility.
The youths and the MP engaged the hooligans in running battles as health workers cheered on. Gitari said Kirinyaga residents would not allow hoodlums to take over a government institution.
The goons, said to have been hired by the County government, invaded the hospital on Monday and beat up striking health workers before flushing them out of the facility. Police came to the rescue of the hooligans, some who sustained serious injury.
More officers were deployed to disperse the crowd and restore normalcy at the facility. The MP and health workers later converged at Kerugoya Moi Stadium, where they condemned the hospital take-over by the goons.
He warned that if police fail to guarantee health workers security, he will mobilise youth in his constituency “to hunt down the criminals”.
Gitari criticised the county government for using violence to compel health workers to resume work and vowed to support a bill pending in Parliament seeking to revert the health sector to National government.
He termed the current state of health sector in the country as pathetic, saying something must be done to urgently to ensure Kenya access efficient and affordable healthcare. Kirinyaga Central police boss Eliud Monari said security will be beefed up around the hospital.
The incident came less than a week after the more than 700 striking health workers stormed the Kirinyaga County Assembly , protesting an alleged move by members to divert funds meant for their promotion and buying drugs in 2015/16 budget.
Meanwhile, Kenya National Union of Nurses (Knun) Kirinyaga branch officials yesterday led nurses in mass prayers and vowed not to return to work until their demands are met.
Speaking during the prayers, branch secretary Simon Njeru said nurses will not be intimidated with threats of being sacked if they fail to resume work today.
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