Court fails to unlock Clinical Officers 19 day long strike

Clinical Officers 19-day long strike seems to have been prolonged after the High Court issued another date to unlock the impasse.

High Court Judge Byram Ongaya sitting at the Milimani Law Courts ordered the petitioners (Union) and the respondents (47 County Governments and Ministry Of Health ) to appear before him on Wednesday 27th.

A deadlock that would have been sealed yesterday where the Judge ordered all the parties to sign a consent in the form of a return to work formula saw the MOH fail to sign the document frustrating the process.

In that ruling, the Judge allowed both parties to continue with the conciliation with a court order to have the strike suspended. Clinical officers were to report to work by Friday with all the show cause letters, disciplinary actions, and termination letters withdrawn.

The ruling had asked both parties to negotiate in good faith as scheduled in the new proposed dates from 26/11 and report back to court on 11/12/19 for the adoption of the report.

The Ministry of Health, however, withdrew from their earlier position of signing the document citing inadequate instructions from their client, while some lawyers representing the counties chose to abstain.

The Judge had no otherwise but to withdraw the consent and asked both parties to report back before him on 27th November.

The court proceedings saw the Judge order for a 2 hour time out to allow both parties to agree to make it one of the most intense court sessions.

Speaking after the court ruling, Kenya Union Of Clinical Officers General Secretary George Gibore urged all the members to stay at home until next week when another opportunity to unlock the impasse is presented before the Judge. 

The same sentiments were echoed by the National Chairman Peterson Wachira and KCOA Secretary-General Eric Ondieki.

Clinical Officers are on strike after the Government failed to ratify the Schemes of Services and pay Diploma interns.They also want the CBA signed and registered in court.