Court grants seven more days to doctors’ strike mediators

Doctors union officials

Nairobi, Kenya: Court has granted seven more days to doctors’ strike mediation team to reach an agreement. The mediators are to present report on March 2 or earlier if they strike a deal.

Last week Court of Appeal ordered the release of seven medical doctors’ union officials who had on February 13 been sentenced to one month in jail. The officials were set free pending hearing and determination of the appeal against Justice Hellen Wasilwa's decision to jail them and parties were expected back in court today.

Negotiations will resume immediately and a team from the Law Society of Kenya and Kenya National Commission on Human Rights will jointly lead the mediation efforts.

Doctors had moved to court to appeal against a decision by the Employment and Labour Relations Court to jail their union officials for contempt of court. The appeal was argued by lawyers James Orengo and Philip Murgor, who had offered to lead the team of lawyers representing the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union officials.