Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary-General Ouma Oluga making a case in court. Photo Credit: Sarah Kimani
Leaders of doctors in Kenya are under immense pressure to call off an ongoing strike over conditions of service. They were on Thursday sentenced to one month suspended sentence after being found guilty of contempt of court.
Kenya’s doctors’ union sentenced to a 1 month suspended sentence for contempt of court. Ordered to call off strike in 2wks. #SABCNEWS
— Sarah Kimani (@sarahkimani) January 12, 2017
The arrest of these leaders of the agitating doctors in Kenya was ordered by a court in Nairobi, the country’s capital on Tuesday for defying a court order preventing them from embarking on strike.
The doctors are currently on a strike agitating over conditions of service. They want a Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2013 is implemented by the government.
The medical practitioners were ordered to return to work on Wednesday or risk being sacked. But the failure of their leaders to appear in court has angered the country’s judiciary.
The doctors have now been ordered by Justice Helen Wasilwa of Employment and Labour Relations Court to call off the strike in two weeks or risk being arrested and jailed.
Lawyers for the doctors pleaded with the court to compel government of Kenya to negotiate with them towards addressing their issues.
This is daisy Kiror, pleads for the judge to use her power and the law to find a lasting solution to issues in Kenya’s healthcare sector. pic.twitter.com/EQ8utBIIQA
— Sarah Kimani (@sarahkimani) January 12, 2017
But the judge said the striking doctors were becoming disobedient citizens stressing that they can only have their issues resolved if they call off the strike.
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary-General Ouma Oluga said it has been difficult for the union leaders to get their members to return to work. He said forcing the union leaders to call off the strike could lead to mass resignation.
Oluga SG: I have spoken to the members twice and they have refused. Don’t jail us we will leave our members leaderless. pic.twitter.com/zPSCQukpSw
— Sarah Kimani (@sarahkimani) January 12, 2017
The doctors had earlier vowed to continue with their strike claiming the threats of jailing them will not deter them from fighting for what they deserve.
Source: Africafeeds.com
