No agreement yet! KMPDU denies strike resolution reports
Doctors seem unwilling to return to work as there’s no agreement in sight.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) did not sign the government’s proposed return-to-work agreement.
During a lengthy meeting with the Whole of the Nation Approach Committee, accusations and counter-accusations from both sides resulted in a stalemate.
KMPDU maintains that the strike continues, alleging that the government has not committed to implementing the raised issues within the stipulated timelines in the strike notice.
“We said, if we can’t discuss the issue of interns, you always said you will give us 18 issues out of 19, now, show us these things. When will they be implemented? They said it can’t be discussed. So it was a matter of coercion whether do it or do it, if not, there are no negotiations,” KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah.
The ongoing negotiations have been marred by a disagreement over a document, with the government insisting that it was agreed upon by both parties during negotiations.
“We negotiated on 8 issues and today we have not differed in most of them except for the timelines which they said would not have any monetary consequences however we are at a loss as to why we did not have a signing today but instead postponed to Monday next week,” Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki said.
Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga added: “There are gains within this document, we cannot deny that they have not gotten everything that they asked for… but whenever you go to a negotiation table, you can never take a hard stand, it must always be a give and take.”
According to a KMPDU official, the Friday meeting, which ran late, felt more coercive than negotiative. Officials claim the document lacks clear timelines for implementing crucial agreements and the exact number of doctors to be hired.
“You cannot tell us that the doctors don’t have medical insurance and the government will provide it, and we ask when and they can’t give us the timelines. They are just giving us blank statements as agreement,” Atellah said.
The government proposed a five-year payment plan, but KMPDU insists on a maximum of three years, citing the long-overdue debt.
KMPDU officials have also stated their intention to sign a separate document outlining their demands and file it in court on the same day as the return-to-work agreement.
The healthcare workers’ strike has persisted for nearly two months.