TheLabour Court has jailed seven officials of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) after they failed to reach an agreement and call off the doctors strike within the granted period.
Judge Hellen Wasilwa effected the one-month jail term after suspending it on two previous occasions to allow the doctors’ union officials continue with negotiations.
The Judge observed that with failed attempts to resolve the doctors’ strike and some parties withdrawing from the negotiating table, the court had no option but to effect the jail term.
She, however, gave the officials an option of paying a fine adding that the medics have the right to appeal the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
On Sunday, COTU Secretary-General Francis Atwoli pulled out of the talks to end the medics' strike citing infighting between Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu and Principal Secretary Nicholas Muraguri.
Mr Atwoli admitted that he had been unable to end the doctors' strike, blaming the prolonged mass action on antagonism between the two high-ranking government officials.
"During the talks, we discovered that there is infighting at the Ministry of Health that involves the Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu and the Principal Secretary Nicholas Muraguri. This affected our negotiations with the doctors' union.
"Dr Muraguri is not committed to ending the strike but instead seems determined to use the strike to settle an apparent score with Dr Mailu," the COTU boss stated.
The jailed officials include Chairman Samuel Oroko, Secretary-General Ouma Oluga, Daisy Korir, Evelyne Chege, Allan Ochanji, Mwachonda Chibandzi and Titus Ondoro.
The jailing of the officials now deepens the crisis that has rocked public hospitals across the country since December 5, 2016.
The doctors' strike entered its 72nd day on Monday.
