Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and his Tharaka Nithi counterpart Muthomi Njuki, on Wednesday, December 28, met officials of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) in a bid to avert a looming doctors’ strike.
In a statement, Sakaja expressed optimism about precluding the looming national medical practitioners’ strike.
The doctors sought the government to fulfill agreements in a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) covering the 2017-2021 period.
"We are making great progress and I’m confident that we shall avert this strike," Sakaja stated after the meeting in his office.
While speaking on behalf of the doctors’ union, Davji observed that the two governors, representing the Council of Governor's (CoG) Committees on Health and Labour, expressed their commitment to making sure that all the issues raised in the CBA will be met.
Furthermore, the SG disclosed that the two sides agreed to meet again to finalize on pending issues discussed in the meeting and agree on the implementation framework before the date set for the commencement of the industrial action.
KMPDU had, on Monday, November 28, issued a strike notice for non-implementation of the agreements reached through Collective Bargaining Agreements dated June 30 and July 6, 2017, between the union and the then Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection.
The strike notice was set to expire on Wednesday, December 28.
According to the notice, the doctors want county governments to honour the agreements set out in the registered 2017-2021 CBA reached between them and the devolved units.
"As we start the new year, around the 5th, or 6th of January 2023, all the doctors in the country will be on strike and we don't threaten, we will proceed on strike because we have court judgments that support this," Davji Atella, KMPDU Secretary General, stated.
In the CBA, doctors are demanding a review of their basic salaries, salary delays, provision of a better working environment, employment of more medical practitioners in the devolved unit, and posting of interns among other things.
Sakaja and Njuki met the KPMDU national officials in their capacities as Chairpersons of CoG’s committees on Labour and Health respectively.
