Related Article: Over 200,000 Teachers and Other Civil Servants To Face Disciplinary Action If They Fail To Do The Following By 23rd August.
Earlier this week, the government had issued a directive through the Head of Public Service to all civil servants and teachers concerning vaccination against COVID-19. All the civil servants and teachers were given a stern warning to be vaccinated by August 23 failure to which they risk facing disciplinary action.
The directive however has infuriated all the civil servants and teachers across the country. The circular containing the directive was signed and released on Monday night by Joseph Kinyua the head of public service.
This directive follows the low uptake of the vaccine by the majority of the public servants including teachers and security offices as was reported in a recent meeting for the National Security Advisory Committee.
In response to the directive, the Union of Kenya Civil Servants has protested citing the imposition of a time limit on which the civil servants must be vaccinated.
At the initial stage of the vaccination exercise, the government had stated that the vaccination was optional and not compulsory. This has prompted many questions as to why the same government is threatening the civil servants to take vaccines else to face disciplinary action.
The secretary-general, Kenya Union of Civil Servants, in his statement said that it’s wrong to force people to be vaccinated using threats as this is against basic human rights. Every civil servant is at liberty to choose whether or not to be vaccinated.
In his opinion, the public should be sensitized to the importance of taking the vaccine as a protection against contracting the virus rather than using threats to force them.
Ole Kina echoed the same sentiments in his statement. In his own opinion, he suggested that the government should test the civil servants first. After knowing their status the servants can make informed decisions about the vaccination. Finally, he noted taking the vaccine is paramount.
What is your opinion on the government directives to see all civil servants vaccinated by 23rd August?
