Negotiations Comes to an End as Doctors’ Strike Enters 41st Day: Expected to Announce their Decision
Written by moradio on 23 April 2024
NAIROBI, Kenya, April 23 – Doctors are anticipated to announce their decision on the 41-day-long strike after talks with the government mediated by the Whole of Nation Approach Committee led by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) officials did not attend the scheduled signing of a return-to-work agreement at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Monday.
Koskei mentioned that the signing was postponed to Tuesday, giving the medical practitioners additional time to conclude discussions amongst themselves following the late-night meeting on Monday.
Koskei, accompanied by governors, stated that the majority of the issues had been resolved during a meeting on Sunday, expressing optimism about reaching an agreement for the doctors to resume work.
Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki added that an agreement had been reached on all issues during the previous day’s meeting and attributed the delay to the KMPDU’s desire for extensive consultations with its members.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court had extended orders to suspend the prolonged doctors’ strike last Wednesday to facilitate further negotiations.
The strike, initiated on March 14, stemmed from the government’s alleged failure to assign medical interns and adhere to a 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) concerning doctors’ employment terms.
The government’s proposal of Ksh.70,000 for medical interns, instead of the agreed Ksh.206,000 outlined in the CBA, has been rejected by the doctors.
