Opposition leader Raila Odinga on Monday directed the CORD coalition lawyers to intervene in the case involving seven officials of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU), who were thrown in jail.
In a press statement, the former Prime Minister vowed to take on the Government in the case which will now see the doctors' union officials spend one month behind bars.
"We have instructed our lawyers to immediately convene and take up the doctor’s case against the government," Odinga said.
The Opposition chief sharply criticised the government for failing to end the doctors strike accusing it of trying to 'arm twist' the medics.
"Unable to lead and negotiate, the government instead resorted to hostage taking. The court had created opportunities for the government to resolve the issues around the CBA it signed with doctors.
"The government spurned all those opportunities and instead took advantage of the suspended sentence to blackmail the doctors. The action is meant to arm twist the doctors to accept what they don’t agree with when in fact, the government is the problem," the former Premier noted.
Mr Odinga highlighted that the jailing of the union leaders portrayed the Jubilee Government "as a dishonest and unreliable employer whose word, even in writing count for nothing."
He condemned President Uhuru Kenyatta for sitting pretty despite the over 2-month doctors' strike that has caused a crisis in the country.
"The President has spent these four years trying to look and remain cool. The President has spent these four years leading from behind, snubbing important issues and hoping that they resolve themselves. If the president cannot rise to the challenge of leadership, then, for the good of the nation, he must own up and let Kenyans know they are on their own," Odinga said.
The CORD leader reiterated Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli's sentiments that the infighting between the Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu and the Principal Secretary Nicholas Muraguri had paralysed the negotiations.
Earlier, Atwoli pleaded with President Kenyatta to punish Mr Muraguri for undermining the CS during the talks.
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