Court awards Sh5m each to 6 ex-KEMRI doctors for wrongful dismissal

Nairobi, Kenya: Industrial Court sitting in Nairobi has awarded five million shillings each to six former employees of Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) for wrongful dismissal.

Doctors; Moses Nderitu, Samson Gwer, Michael Mwaniki, Nahashon Thuo, John Wagai, Albert Komba, James Ignes Kuola and Professor Alexis Kuola  were also awarded for denial of intellectual property rights.

The employees had sued KEMRI, Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, the Attorney General and Union of Research and allied institute over unequal training opportunities.

Kemri’s welcome trust research programme emanated from external donors whose funding terms aggrieved the six doctors.

It was the criteria for funding which was only open to individuals with a relevant connection to the European Economic Area (EEA) that led to racial discrimination, scientific research misconduct, and intellectual property rights and career blockade.