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FAQs

Frequently asked questions about KUNAD

Kenya Union of Nutritionists and Dietitians (KUNAD) is a professional union formed under the Labour Relations Act with an aim of bringing all nutritionists and dietitians across Kenya on board and creating an enabling environment for the practice of nutrition and dietetics.  Nutrition services are important in the development of the health care system which takes care of both preventive and curative medications.

MANDATE
The union is formed under the Labour Relations Act to create an enabling environment for nutrition practice and to cater for welfare of all nutritionists and dietitians in the country.

VISION
To be the best in the globe in nutrition and dietetics health care provision and standardization through integral professional
practice.

GOAL
To promote the welfare of nutritionists and dietitians practising in Kenya.

VALUES

  • Solidarity: To stand together as a union to promote the welfare of the members and to provide solutions to the problems facing the health care system.
  • Integrity: Encourage our members and their employers to remain honest in all their actions to ensure the interests of members and the country at large is served.
  • Reward: Believe in a good job done and recognize services, efforts and achievements of members in developing nutrition as a profession.
  • Quality: Believe in good standards and encourage members to offer services of the highest degree of standards in their areas of duty.
  • Transparency and accountability: Encourage members to act in manners not likely to taint the image of our profession and to constantly refer from the codes of conduct given and signed by the regulator.

First, it is important to note that the bodies mentioned above either operate under laws within registrar of societies or regulation standards. That means we don’t have another body operating under labour relations act no14 of 2007 under which KUNAD is registered.

It is also important to note that in an industry or within a cadre, three key pillars should exist independently:

  • The regulation of standards is done based on laws or acts formulated by parliament and should be part of government, that is, if ours is not part of government then there is a problem since the standards regulated are to be consumed and implemented by the government of the day.
  • Associations and Societies which should operate under registrar of societies deal with professional welfare and general well-being in relation to a specific profession including financial support if well-organized or content delivery and sharing.
  • All labour organizations are formed and formulated under labour relations law (in Kenya – Labour Relations Act 14 of 2007). Primarily they function to ensure adequate staffing, that is, employment of professionals, remuneration including allowances and basic pays, dismissal law, terms of contract and professional welfare like health insurance allowances e.g. NHIF in Kenya.

The confusion which exists in our profession is due to a lack of understanding of our roles or a fight to do it all which is not possible.

We are already working with NAK and KNDI in development of a nutrition workforce report. This means we work together with any other organization which has the interest of nutritionists at heart including other unions. This should however not be used to take away individual or organizational independence to question what we feel is not done by other organization as per what the existing laws provide including the supreme law of this country constitution of Kenya 2010.

We currently operate through till number registered under our treasurer’s details as follows:

  • Go to M-PESA’s  Lipa na M-pesa menu
  • Buy goods and services
  • Enter till number 660753
  • Pay amount 500

Please check our membership registration page here for the full registration process.

As at now we only have a registration fee. Subscription wll be decided by the National Delegates Conference.

We deal with labour law, our qualification being that you’re trained and schooled to be a nutritionist. This means we only look at you attending school as per CUE standards but not any other body.

Labour relations act 14 of 2007 is an independent act and allows us to have even students and interns to be our members including being an honorary member which does not need you to have any affiliation. But it is important that you be a member of those other organizations based on the roles they play and depending on services offered under the laws which formulate them.

We are the people who have sued both registrar of trade union and Ministry of Health hence will not be affected with the ongoing cases in court.

We found a better profession and our actions are aimed at leaving it better than we found it (Natural law in good principles of humanity). Article one of Kenyan Constitution is everything for us. Articles 33-40 Kenyan constitution assures us of our security and above all God is our all-time driver.

As young children do have dreams, we believe that one day (near future) the trained nutritionists in this country will be inadequate to serve the country once employment starts across all training levels.