Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has instructed all Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) governors to pay doctors for the 100-day period they were on strike.
Speaking during an ODM meeting in Mombasa, Odinga expressed disappointment in the stalemate between doctors and the government which had paralysed operations in all public hospitals.
This followed an earlier announcement by the Council of Governors (CoG) that the counties would not pay the Sh3.2 Billion accumulated wages, a statement which had also been reiterated by Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopha Mailu.
Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentist Union (KMPDU) signed a Return To Work Formula (RTWF) with the government that ended the strike but are yet to be paid for the 3 months they had downed their tools.
CoG chairman Peter Munya was adamant that doctors would not be paid as there was no such directive in the RTWF that was signed by the doctors.
However, KMPDU Secretary General Ouma Oluga dismissed the Governors' statement accusing them of causing unnecessary friction.
He stated that this was victimisation for their actions and was contrary to clause 3 of their agreement which prohibited any disciplinary action against the medics.
Raila's statement will come as good news to doctors who are already complaining about being short-changed in the deal and have threatened to take action at the end of the month if their salary demands are not met.
