Striking doctors ignore Kidero’s promise, vow to continue with protests
Even as Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero promised to pay striking doctors in Nairobi by Friday the medics have insisted that they will not call-off the strike but resume demonstration on Monday.
The doctors strike which is in its second week was suspended on September 16 2016 by the Employment and Labour Relations court.
Speaking to Nation the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union Nairobi branch Secretary General Thuranira Kaugiria said that doctors will continue with the strike until their issues are addressed.
He said they had received the court order but they lacked money to go to work with.
“We are not defying court order we just don’t have fare to commute to work or food to eat in our houses. Are we going to walk?” posed Thuranira.
RETURN TO WORK FORMULA
The County Executive Member Health Dr Bernard Muia said that he expects the doctors to have resumed work after the assurance by the Governor on Tuesday that they will be paid on Friday.
He said that they have finalized on the issues raised by the striking doctors and that they have already signed the return to work formula with the union.
“We have done our part and finalized their demands and acknowledged the return to work formula which we have signed,”said Dr Muia.
However, Dr Thuranira has denied that they have signed the return to work formula with the county saying that one executive officer took the letter on bare minimum agreement and edited it and appended his signature.
He said that the letter they had sent to the county with their demands was edited by placing a letter head of the county government on it and the clause that all the ongoing cases in the court be stopped expunged then sent to the union chairman to sign.
APPOINTMENT LETTERS
Dr Muia said that he doctors had also picked the 36 appointment letters for the doctors, dentists, pharmacists and medical officers who were on probation and given permanent jobs.
Dr Muia added that they have also put them on pay roll and the money will be paid.
Dr Thuranira said that the payroll had been open but that does not mean that the money is on their account and will reflect in October.
Dr Thuranira however said that until the county fulfills there demand the strike will continue.
He added that patients in the county have put more pressure to the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) as the others seek treatment in the neighboring counties like Kiambu.
The doctors are protesting over delayed salaries and promotions and the county’s alleged failure to remit statutory deductions such as NHIF and NSSF fees in the past eight months.
