The seven leaders of the Kenyan doctors’ union jailed on Monday for contempt by the labour court Judge Hellen Wasilwa have gained their freedom.
The judge decided to let go the suspension she placed on the one-month sentence she imposed on the doctors for earlier failing to comply with her order to call off strike.
The leaders of Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Unions (KMPDU) were ordered by the court to call off their ongoing strike and rather engage government in talks.
But the talks reportedly failed to yield results while the doctors remain on strike.The doctors are agitating over conditions of service. They want a Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2013 implemented by the government.
Kenya’s health cabinet secretary Cleopa Mailu had said he will consult the attorney general of the country on the possibility of getting the convicted doctors released from prison.
The Daily Nation has reported that the lawyers for the Council of Governors and Kenya Medical Practitioners’, Pharmacists and Dentists Union have agreed to have the medics released immediately to carry on with talks.
The negotiations expected to end the two-month doctors’ strike will now start on Thursday following an agreement between the two parties at the Court of Appeal.
They are expected to craft a return-to-work formula that will be presented in court on February 23. This agreement was arrived at before a three-judge bench of Jamila Mohamed, Wanjiru Karanja and Hannah Okwengu in Nairobi on Wednesday.
The Daily Nation published summary of the lawyers’ consent as presented to court:
- Doctors’ union chiefs to be released with immediate effect to continue with negotiations that will last for seven days.
- They will come to court with a comprehensive report on February 23 with a view of calling off the strike
- LSK and KNHCR to lead the talks.
- Matter to be mentioned in court on February 23.
Source: Africafeeds.com
