The Health ministry has asked Nairobi health workers to suspend a strike planned for Monday so as not to disrupt key services.
The ministry headed by CS Cleopa Mailu wants the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU)
to return to the negotiation table with other stakeholders.
Mailu said on Wednesday that the strike was called in bad faith and aimed at frustrating government efforts to address issues raised incourt.
A court directed the generation of an agreement within 90 days (October 6 to December 30).
The Cabinet Secretary said in a statement to newsrooms that three meetings have taken place since the negotiations began.
But he noted the union had not shown any commitment, evidenced by several requests to adjourn meetings, to purportedly as the strike approaches.
"We find it unfortunate that the union claims that the court upheld the CBA and at the same time agrees to the fact that the court directed that other stakeholders,
like counties that employ the bulk of health workers, be included in the negotiations," he said.
Mailu said the ministry
recognised the workers' right to industrial action as enshrined in the constitution.
But he added: "It is unfortunate that it is the citizenry that will suffer. It is our firm belief that such a right
should be exercised with restraint especially in the health industry which provides essential services, whose disruption may lead to loss of lives," he said.
The CS underlined that the ministry has put in effort following the court ruling on an agreement.
He said stakeholders were invited and a negotiations team constituted.
The team includes the
Council of Governors, Salaries and Remunerations Commission, National Treasury and the office of the Attorney General.
"For avoidance of doubt, the negotiations between KMPDU and the stakeholders commenced on November 16 and members of the negotiating
team were addressed by the PS and I," he said.
The statement also stated that Mailu and Kisii Governor James Ongwae, who is chairman of the Human Resource Sub-committee, met the negotiating team on November 23.
"We asked the team to embrace commitment to the negotiations. The Governor pledged support from the council," he said.
The doctors suspended their five-week strike on October 27 following an order by the Industrial court.
They went on strike citing delayed promotions, salaries and allowances, and later said the county had not honoured promises to address their grievances.
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