- While expressing understanding for the doctors' grievances, Lusaka stressed the irreversible consequences of lives lost during the strike.
- Cheruiyot said currently, the country’s economy is in ICU asking the striking doctors to accept the government’s offer and return to work.
Image: TONY WAFULA
Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka and Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot have rallied striking doctors to return to work amid negotiations with the government.
Speaking in Trans Nzoia on Sunday during a fundraiser for churches, Lusaka emphasised the need for doctors to heed the government's call.
"You have made your point, kindly let's go back to work and save the lives of our people," the governor said.
The outgoing governor highlighted that several counties, including Bungoma, have already implemented promotions for doctors, with more expected to follow suit.
While expressing understanding for the doctors' grievances, Lusaka stressed the irreversible consequences of lives lost during the strike.
In addition to addressing the medical crisis, Lusaka called for decisive action against individuals involved in the fake fertiliser syndicate.
Similar sentiments on the doctor's strike were echoed by Senator Cheruiyot.
Speaking at Friends Moi Girls School Kaptama in Mt Elgon over the weekend, Cheruiyot urged the striking doctors to shelve their demands and accept what the government has offered them.
The Senate Majority leader noted that currently, the government doesn’t have the money that the doctors are demanding for.
“The government has heard your grievances and responded to them, you have said no to them, I beg that you also listen to us so that we can agree and suspend the strike so that you can go back to your respective facilities and attend to the sick,” he said.
The senator said currently, the country’s economy is in ICU, asking the striking doctors to accept the government’s offer and return to work.
“Please our friends from the KMPDU look at the state of the country before you insist that you won’t suspend the strike, sincerely speaking we cannot afford paying an intern Sh200,000 yet they are still students,” Cheruiyot said.
The senator said the demands by the doctors will be addressed another time when the country will have enough resources to pay them.
“The government has heard your demands but unfortunately for now we can't raise that money. Maybe next time,” he said, adding that Kenyans are suffering whenever they visit health facilities to seek medication and find no doctor.
He added, “ Let us go back to work to save lives, the lives being lost when you are out on the road will not be resurrected when you return to work,”
He argues that most of the time, teachers always go on strike but after the dialogue with the government they always end the strikes and return to work.