Morgue workers to call strike until ‘abuse victims’ report to the police

Mortuary attendants at Kenyatta National Hospital have threatened to boycott work if women who have accused them of sexual harassment fail to file a formal report with the police.

Families and relatives with bodies at the KNH mortuary were not attended to yesterday as the workers held a counter demonstration over “negative portrayal of staff at KNH in mainstream and social media”.

The workers issued the threat as they clashed with activists at the facility amid the fiery storm of allegations raised last week. The KNH management has said it has no recorded complaints.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE

The employees have been accused of perpetrating sexual violence and using bodies to scare new mothers admitted at the referral facility.

It is alleged that the attendants have been scaring women who go to breastfeed at the newborn unit on the first floor.

Health workers allied to the Kenyatta National Hospital Union and the Kenya Union of Domestic, Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA) refuted the claims accusing the activists of sullying their name.

Union officials have also demanded an apology from the activists’ lobby that has spearheaded the online campaign.

“Our union does not take kindly to a number of false and exaggerated reports that have appeared on mainstream media and social networks as this is an attack on the character and integrity of health workers who have diligently served the facility and country at large with distinction for a long time,” said the chair, Reuben Cheboi.

Women activists under the Health Empowerment Rights (HER) group were holding protests over rape allegations that have marred the hospital.

PETITION

The activists, led by Mildred Owiso (who broke the story through her Facebook account) and Wanjeri Nderu (a social justice crusader) marched from Uhuru Park’s Freedom Corner to the Ministry of Health headquarters where they had intended to present a petition to the Cabinet Secretary, Dr Cleopa Mailu.

“We are very disappointed that the management of KNH would choose to speak to the media and calmly rubbish the complaints made by women who were admitted at the facility instead of first seeking to give them a hearing and ascertain how they can be assisted,” said Ms Owiso.

“We expected them to listen to the victims’ narratives and proceed to conduct an investigation.”

Instead, she went on to say, “they denied it all and this could have made them afraid of coming forward to seek justice,” said the social justice activist in a statement.”

The activists demanded a full and proper inquiry into the matter, saying that they did not trust and therefore rejected “any report hastily put together without any contact with the victims.”

VICTIMS

“How can something that has been going on for years be investigated in 72 hours? What measures have been put in place to shield victims from stigma and assure them of anonymity,” they asked in their petition which KNH acknowledged receipt.

The allegations which emerged last week have since caused a public uproar leading to a series of investigations being launched by both the cabinet secretary for health and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

Speaking from Mombasa, Dr Mailu pushed forward the release of a probe report ordered on the hospital to today. He was expected to make public findings of a probe yesterday.

Instead, Dr Mailu said he was waiting for the probe report by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

“It was our intention to release the report today (Tuesday) but I am waiting for CID report. With those two, I will be able to issue a statement on the matter,” said Dr Mailu.

“Nobody has come with evidence to me. It is the responsibility of the government to protect both the accused and the accuser. For now, I can neither confirm nor deny,” Dr Mailu insisted, asking for patience.

Additional reporting by Winnie Atieno