Nairobi doctors will march to the Governor office daily from Wednesday in protest against the county's failure to honour the return to work formula
signed last month.
The medics went on strike early in September
over unpaid salaries, delayed promotions and failure by the county government to issue appointment letters to 53 doctors among others.
They called off their three-week strike on September 30 after signing
a deal
with Evans Kidero's government.
But they downed their tools once again on October 14, demanding promotion and remittance of statutory and non-statutory deductions.
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They said on Tuesday that they will march peacefully to the Governor's office until their demands are met.
“We are going to have mammoth demonstrations from tomorrow," Thuranira
Kaugiria, Nairobi branch secretary of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists' Union,
told the Star.
"No one is asking for a pay rise and no one is asking for unrealistic demands. We will picket... we will do whatever it takes to make them give us what is rightfully ours. It it is ours, not theirs," he said.
Kaugiria said
the county has only issued 32 confirmation letters contrary to the agreement that all the 118 doctors who have been on probation for more than six months be confirmed.
“It is worth noting that instead of the employer - Nairobi county - honouring what it promised on two different occasions, it has issued threats of sacking
officers and going to court,” he said.
"The county promoted 53 doctors to wrong job groups, completely disregarding the Schemes of Service guidelines.
In total more than 150 doctors are affected by pending confirmations and promotions/job group re-designation."
Health CS Cleopa Mailu, county health executive Bernard Muia, KMPDU secretary general Ouma Oluga and county secretary Robert Ayisi were present during the signing of the agreement at City Hall.
“It is unfortunate that our patients are suffering but it s not out fault. This county is not handling us in good faith," said Kaugiria.
"They had two weeks to fulfill the demands after signing the return to work agreement. Doctors just want their promotion letters. We are almost labeling the county a hostile employer."
The county
the more than 200 doctors who are on strike.
Ayisi ordered a roll call of working doctors and instructed medical superintendents at all hospitals to submit the lists to county headquarters by the afternoon.
He asked qualified doctors with no jobs to report to the superintendents of all level four hospitals for part-time positions.