Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has dismissed Senator Agnes Kavindu’s criticism of her administration’s handling of the health sector, telling her to direct her efforts to the Senate instead of county hospitals.
Addressing the press at her Whitehouse office, Wavinya linked the ongoing nurses’ strike to external political interference, insisting that her government has already met most of the nurses’ demands.
“When I became governor, hospitals were barely generating revenue. In 2017, collections stood at KSh38 million, and in 2022 only KSh30 million was collected. I found that unacceptable,” she said. “We computerized hospital operations, and in the last financial year alone, we collected KSh770 million. Where was all that money going before?”
The governor further urged Senator Kavindu to push for increased health funding at the national level, noting that devolution had transferred health functions without adequate resources.
“I ask my sister Kavindu, who seems to have a lot of energy, to take that fight to the Senate and ensure money follows the devolved health functions,” Wavinya said.
Her sharp response came days after Senator Kavindu toured Machakos Level 5 Hospital at the onset of the strike, where she called on the governor to intervene and ease patients’ suffering.
A visibly furious Wavinya retaliated by ordering the immediate sacking of 500 striking nurses and directed the Health Department to recruit replacements without delay.
“I will not allow patients to continue suffering when there are qualified nurses out there looking for jobs. With immediate effect, the positions of the 500 striking nurses should be declared vacant and new staff recruited,” she ordered.
