• Medical doctors across the country have defied a court order to end their strike that has led to disruption of services in public hospitals.
• Health workers had announced that they would hold a peaceful demonstration in Nairobi on Tuesday.
Image: MINA
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has waded into the ongoing doctors’ strike, terming it as illegal.
According to Kindiki, the Employment and Labour Relations Court ordered the parties in the ongoing industrial dispute in the health sector to engage in conciliation and negotiation proceedings within 14 days and thereafter file in court a memorandum of understanding on minimum service guarantees in public health institutions.
In a statement on Tuesday, Kindiki said that the ministry has noted that the participants in the industrial action have continued to defy the aforesaid court order.
“Gatherings, protests or whatever other action(s) in pursuit of grievances outside the law and in breach of court directives undermines the constitutional order of the Country and are, therefore, not permissible,” he said.
At the same time, the CS stated that the striking doctors have been intimidating and threatening violence against health workers who decided not to participate in the strike.
Kindiki also highlighted that the health workers involved in the strike have repeatedly threatened to disrupt services in health facilities, interfere with the work of non-striking health workers, and disrupt public order in general.
In addition, the Interior boss directed security agencies to protect the public and doctors who are on duty.
“Law enforcement agencies are directed to ensure strict maintenance of law and order to protect the general public and the health workers who have chosen to obey the court order by providing services pending the resolution of the labour dispute,” Kindiki said.
Health workers had announced that they would hold a peaceful demonstration in Nairobi on Tuesday.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union said the demos will start from Kenyatta National Hospital to Parliament.
“Join us on April 9, 2024, for a peaceful demonstration. We advocate for our rights, full implementation of the CBA, and improvements in the healthcare system,” a notice by KMPDU read.
President William Ruto on Sunday asked striking doctors to resume work and accept what the government has offered to hire intern doctors.
Ruto emphasized that doctors need to realize that the country doesn't have the resources to raise wages for its workers.
He stressed that the county must manage within its available resources instead of resorting to borrowing to pay wages.
"We must tell ourselves the truth that the time has come for us to live within our means," Ruto said.
However, KMPDU responded and said they will not backtrack on the issue of salaries.
Atellah stated that what they're asking for now is what was agreed upon in the 2017 CBA after compromising with the government's requests at that time.
"The current salary for doctors, including interns, was offered by the government. We were demanding more but gave in to their demand," Atellah said.
"We can not backtrack on our salaries to exploitation in the name of the wage bill. The doctors' salary is anchored on CBA, and it is important like the salary of any Kenyan,"
"To control the wage bill, it can not be only doctors being the target for wage bill reduction. We shall strike harder. No penny will be lost on our hard-earned salaries as long as we are alive," the SG added.