Workers at Hamptons Hospital in Butere, Kakamega County, are raising alarm over a six-month delay in salary payments, a situation that has left many in financial and emotional distress.
The hospital, owned by controversial businessman Julius Mwale, has been put on the spot as employees reveal the extent of their suffering and the lack of communication from management.
Since July of last year, staff members have not received their salaries, leaving them to sail through mounting bills and daily expenses with no support.
Despite numerous pleas for their pay, management’s response has been dismissive and vague.
Workers are often met with the excuse that the transition from NHIF to SHIF has caused disruptions.
However, this explanation rings hollow for many, as it has been repeatedly cited without any concrete steps to resolve the issue.
Employees have described the hospital’s communication as sporadic and unreliable.
Updates about the delayed salaries only come when workers persistently ask, and even then, the answers are unsatisfactory.
This has left many feeling neglected and frustrated.
The lack of concern from management has pushed several employees to their breaking point, with some leaving their jobs entirely due to the financial strain and emotional toll of working without pay.
One desperate employee reached out to a local advocate, highlighting the dire situation.
“We haven’t been paid since July last year, and they don’t seem to care. Every time we ask, we’re told to be patient because of the NHIF-SHIF transition. But if we don’t ask, they don’t communicate at all. So many people have left because they couldn’t cope with the lies and indifference.
The times are hard, and the least they can do is pay us for the work we’ve done without complaining.
It’s been six months, and we’re really frustrated.
Most of us are falling into depression because we can’t meet our bills. We need Mr. Julius Mwale and Madam Christine Alln to pay us; we are dying slowly.”
For those who remain at the hospital, the stress has become unbearable.
The financial hardship is compounded by a sense of betrayal, as they feel their dedication and hard work have been disregarded.
Many employees have expressed feelings of depression and anxiety, struggling to provide for their families while dealing with a management team that seems indifferent to their plight.
This troubling situation raises serious questions about the hospital’s leadership and their commitment to their workforce.
As more workers speak out, the spotlight is firmly on Julius Mwale and the hospital’s management to address the issue and offer a concrete solution to the six-month salary delay.
Until then, the employees of Hamptons Hospital will continue to endure the weight of unpaid wages and the emotional strain it brings.
