Nairobi doctors' strike now enters third week

Doctors failed to resume work yesterday despite the Nairobi City County Government declaring their strike illegal.

The doctors on Friday marched to City Hall were Governor Evans Kidero promised to give out salary vouchers covering one month to 36 doctors and clear the rest with their September pay.

“We respect the court order with regards to the strike but we do not have fare to go back unless the county government offers us transport back to our work stations,” said Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union Nairobi branch Secretary General Thuranira Kaugiria.

He claimed that no formal agreement had been reached between the county government so the doctors would continue striking until their issues were addressed.

Dr Kuagiria said the doctors had not been paid for the past six months. In addition, they had not received their promotion letters as promised by Governor Kidero.

“The county government informs us through the media but to the best of my knowledge, we have not signed any return-to-work agreement as they claim,” added Kuagiria.

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County Health Executive Benard Muia maintained his earlier stand, saying they had already addressed the doctors’ issues and expected them to report back to work or face the consequences.

 DECLARED ILLEGAL

Dr Muia emphasised that as of September 16, the strike had been declared illegal and a court order was issued to that effect by the Employment and Labour Relations Court.

He said the doctors had not been paid for six months because they did not have appointment letters, but the county had worked to remedy the problem.

“Those who have gone without salaries are doctors who had not been given official appointment letters but they have now been permanently employed and included in the September payroll,” he added.

Muia said the promotion process had begun and would aid the first 86 doctors; evaluations of the 36 remaining files would be done and recommendations made.

Nearly 250 doctors went on strike on September 9 due to a range of issues such as lack of payment for the last six months and the fact that the county government had stopped remitting their National Hospital Insurance Fund deductions since January.