Kitui governor Charity Ngilu and some of her top officers have been summoned to appear before the Employment and Labour Relations court to show cause why they should not be punished for failing to pay 20 doctors who are on study leave.
Justice Monica Mbaru ordered the governor, the county health executive officer Winnie Kitetu and her chief officer as well as the secretary to the public service board to appear personally before the court on October 14, 2021.
The governor and the officers were found to be in contempt of court for failing to adhere to the orders issued by the same court on October 5, 2021 directing the county government to release salaries for the 20 doctors whose pay has been withheld since July after refusing to cut short their study leave.
Through their lawyer Henry Kurauka, the doctors’ union urged the court to deny the respondents audience and applied for warrants of arrest against Ngilu and her officers for disobeying court orders.
Justice Mbaru had given the county government up to the end of Wednesday to comply with the directive.
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The doctors are doing their postgraduates studies at several universities in Kenya, USA, Tanzania and Ukraine but had been recalled by their employer to resume their duties or face disciplinary action.
After failing to cut short their study leave, their salaries were stopped, prompting them to move to court.
The doctors claimed through various committee meetings, the county government approved their applications for a two-year full-time post-graduate study leave.
Through their union, the medics said the stoppage of their salaries was malicious, irrational and unlawful, adding that they were not given an opportunity to be heard before the decision was made.
The doctors who are enrolled in specialised courses such as internal medicine, plastic and reconstructive surgery, oncology, diagnostic radiology and infectious diseases among others told the court that the training will boost universal health care and ensure access to specialised treatment for Kitui county residents.
