Diaspora and Digital Communications Director at State House Dennis Itumbi has broken the silence on his Facebook post that is alleged to have interfered with the negotiations between the Government and the doctors' union officials seeking to end the prolonged medics' strike.
Mr Itumbi on Monday posted that after the Monday private talk, the two parties had agreed on everything in the CBA except the salary in the disputed 2013 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
"They want the lowest-paid doctor to get Sh221,000 and the highest-paid Sh940,000 (plus allowances goes to Sh1.2m), GOK is actually offering to pay doctors way better that those in private hospitals,” Itumbi's post read.
The Daily Nation reported that a source privy to the talks divulged that the post angered doctors at the negotiation table stating: "Talks have collapsed because of this (post); Health Principal Secretary Dr Nicholas Muraguri is busy talking to bloggers".
However, speaking to Kenyans.co.ke on Tuesday morning, Mr Itumbi rubbished the allegations highlighting that his response came only after it was public that the two (Government and doctors) did not agree on the salary bit.
" I spoke after the fact. I spoke after every compromise was made and a stalemate was declared on salaries," Itumbi divulged.
Itumbi added that: "the truth is that the CBA is about salaries. Government cannot afford special offices in hospitals with a TV and a lounge, transfer allowances and such things."
The State House Official questioned why the doctors' were not willing to disclose information to the public if the main reason behind the strike was for the benefit of Kenyans.
"Doctors have told Kenyans that the CBA was about better service and healthcare to the public. Why would they have a problem with such great benefit to the people being communicated? he posed.
He further noted that the Daily Nation's report was one-sided as the paper did not seek to get his side of the story.
"That is a journalism that speaks to everyone in a story except their main subject and character," he said.
