- The doctors’ strike entered its 27th day on Tuesday with the medics remaining adamant that their 2017 CBA must be fully implemented.
- They rejected the government’s Sh2.4 billion for the immediate deployment of 1,500 intern doctors and a Sh70,000 monthly stipend.
Image: KALONZO MUSYOKA/X
The Azimio coalition has threatened to join the ongoing doctors’ strike if the government fails to find a solution to their grievances and end the industrial action that has crippled services in public health facilities.
In a statement on Tuesday, the team led by Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka faulted President William Ruto’s response to the crisis terming it out of touch with reality.
“We find the 'official' response of Kenya Kwanza’s regime leader to be not only inadequate but completely out of touch with the people he leads. The "won't pay; can't pay" parody that broke the extended silence speaks volumes about the regime's regard for our healthcare workers.”
The team delivered the statement at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation.
Among those present included Minority leader Opiyo Wandayi, former Kiambu Govenor Mwangi wa Iria, Roots party leader George Wajackoyah, DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa and former Laikipia Governor Nderitu Mureithi.
“Failure to immediately resolve the health crisis, Azimio will not hesitate to join the already striking workers on the streets and mobilize Kenyans in exercising their rights to assemble, demonstrate, picket and petition.”
The doctors’ strike, which started on March 14, entered its 27th day on Tuesday, April 9, with the medics remaining adamant that their 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement must be fully implemented.
They rejected the government’s Sh2.4 billion for the immediate deployment of 1,500 intern doctors and a Sh70,000 monthly stipend the President said they would each be paid pending their permanent employment after a year.
Led by the Kenya Medical Practitioners Dentists Union Secretary General Davji Atellah, the doctors on Tuesday defied an edict by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to resume work on grounds that their strike is illegal and held protests on the streets of Nairobi and outside Parliament.
Kindiki’s directive that all manner of protests in pursuit of grievances outside the law in defiance of a court order would be met with the full force of the law did not deter them.
“Security agencies have been directed to use all the lawful means and resources available to prevent any disruption of services and protect wananchi and practitioners who have resumed their duties as ordered by the court,” Kindiki said in a statement.
Azimio said the manner in which the doctors’ strike is being handled demonstrates incompetency on the side of the government despite the vital role healthcare workers play in ensuring the well-being of Kenyans.
The team expressed solidarity with the striking medics and called for meaningful and transparent dialogue with the striking doctors to find a long-term solution.
They called on the government to implement the 2017 CBA to the letter and challenged the President to fulfil his pre-campaign pledge and allocate adequate resources to improve healthcare workers’ working conditions and health infrastructure.
“It is the government's responsibility to protect the right to healthcare for all citizens and to provide healthcare workers with the assistance and resources they need to do their jobs effectively,” Azimio said.
The coalition called for Health CS Susan Nakhumicha’s resignation over the strike as well as that of her Agriculture counterpart Mithika Linturi over the fertiliser issue.
“On the issue of fake fertiliser, the KK regime (should) immediately compensate all the farmers who have been sold the fake fertiliser. We are keenly watching and following the actions of the Kenya Kwanza regime on these and other national concerns including the high cost of living,” the leaders said.