- KMPDU chairperson Abi Mwachi said they were not ready to take the government's offer.
- The Employment and Labour Relations Court stopped the strike on March 13 and ordered mediation.
Image: FILE
The Ministry of Health remained mum on Wednesday after doctors rejected the governments latest Sh2.4 billion offer.
The Health CS Susan Nakhumicha and the two principal secretaries in the ministry did not respond to media queries on the strike.
Members of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union, which represents about 7,000 doctors and pharmacists, went on strike on March 15 to demand immediate hiring of trainee doctors and provision of insurance covers for their families.
On Wednesday, the medics refused to resume work even after the government released Sh2.4 billion to facilitate the immediate deployment and posting of the 2023/24 cohort of medical student interns.
"With that spirit in mind, the leadership of the KMPDU is urged to comply with its obligations under the court's orders by immediately suspending the ongoing industrial action," said a statement issued Tuesday evening by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.
KMPDU chairperson Abi Mwachi said they were not ready to take the government offer, adding that the doctors in 2017 ended their strike based on promises which have never been met.
"The doctors of this country did nothing but believe in the promise of their government in 2017 where we ended a 100-day strike for the price of a promissory note. It is time to honour that promise. Respectfully," he said.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court stopped the strike on March 13 and ordered mediation.
But doctors have repeatedly rubbished the court orders.
Justice Byram Ongaya had issued the orders in response to a certificate of urgency filed by James Kounah Advocate and supported by an affidavit from Jane Akunda, both dated March 12, 2024.
The Kenyatta National Hospital had moved to court seeking to stop doctors working at the hospital from going on strike, after the lapse of the seven-day strike notice on March 13.
The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers joined the doctors strike on Monday and issued six demands to the government.
Yesterday, the nurses issued a statement and said they will not join the strike.
Kenya National Union of Nurses national chairman Joseph Ngwasi, however, urged the government to end doctors' and clinical officers' strikes at all costs.
KNUN secretary general Seth Panyako said the union would continue with alternative dispute resolution mechanism.
“There's good progress on the Collective Bargaining Agreement as both levels of government have agreed to sign the CBA and they're planning a meeting next week for conclusion,” he said.
He asked nursing interns to remain patient as the union leaders deal with the issue of posting and continue to negotiate on matters of stipend payment.
“We will proceed to take other legal measures if need be in relation to a circular that reduced intern’s pay from the previous job group K to a lower stipend pay,” he said.
He added that through engagements with the government, the state has agreed to hire more nurses and other health workers.
He said the nurse interns and UHC nurses would appoint two representatives each to accompany the union leaders to the Ministry of Health for their forthcoming meeting.
“The union is aware that the government is in process of employing more nurses and other healthcare workers to try and address the acute shortage,” he said.