The striking medical unions have announced they shall resume to the streets on Tuesday as they condemned a statement by the Inspector General of Police terming their industrial action as a nuisance.
Speaking to the press, the clinicians, the laboratorist and the doctors denounced the statement by IG Japheth Koome adding that they are not in contempt of any court orders.
The Kenya Medical Pharmacist and Dentist Union Secretary general Davji Atellah announced that the medics have filed a case in court accusing IG Koome of defamation and slander in the statement outlawing the strike which has lasted more than a month paralyzing health services in public hospitals in the country.
“We’ve already proceeded to court against the defamatory action and statement issued yesterday. We will serve the IG regarding that,” Dr Atellah told a press conference in Nairobi.
Atellah has further accused the govt of lackluster in resolving the impasse and announced that the unions are available for the dialogue with the ministry of health who they have accused of playing truant
“No amount of threats, intimidation or victimisation that will make us suspend this strike. We will have to sit and have a return-to-work agreement that spells out protection for the CBA that was signed,” the KMPDU secretary-general said.
Their announcement came as Doctors in Eldoret took to the streets as part of the ongoing strike to demand better terms of service.
The demonstrations were led by KMPDU officials, with branch chairman Dr Kamonzi Mulei at the front.
The protesting doctors are from Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, county hospitals, and other medical institutions in the region
The Law Society of Kenya have also threatened to sue the govt if it does not resolve the doctors stalemate
According to LSK the standoff is putting the lives of Kenyans in jeopardy as the govt expresses lack of goodwill in the negotiations to arrive at a fair, conclusive resolution of the dispute.
LSK president Faith Adhiambo has also denounced Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome directive ordering form action on medical professionals taking on the strike.
According to LSK the statements were “reckless, irrational, and legally impotent and that it offends the expectation of a high duty of care to the public required of his office.