[Kenyan Doctors in a past industrial action. Nyanzan based doctors have dared the government to sack them following a three-month long strike. Photo/nation.co.ke]
Doctors from Nyanza region have brushed off the latest sacking threats by the National Governments and vowed to stay put with till their demands are met.
Union officials further asked the members in all health facilities in the region to still stay away from their work stations until further notice."We are past these cheap threats that amount to nothing. We will stay away until we hear from our Union bosses in Nairobi," Kenya Doctors and Medical Union Nyanza regional chair Dr Lameck Omweri said by phone.
He said doctors on strike have been ‘ sacked’ severally since the strike begun two three months ago and wondered what was new in the new sacking threats by the government.
" We have been sacked up to four times since we begun the strike. This one may may be the fifth," said Dr Omweri.His sentiments were echoed by Dr Peter Morebu , the Doctors union executive Kisii County branch, who maintained that doctors will continue withdrawing their services till their demands are met.
" As doctors we not ready for cheap politics. All that we want is the government to show some level of commitment to meet all the obligations as signed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement ," he said.
On Tuesday this week, the government stripped the doctors of the 50 percent pay hike it had initially gave them and ordered them back to work .
In a joint communiqué signed by both the Council of Governors and the national government, doctors who defy the order will be sacked.
But the government, in about turn withdrew the Sh 600 m risk allowances and initial pay hike after the talks collapsed.
Only, those still at work will benefit from the 40 percent pay hike given during a meeting with union officials and the President Uhuru Kenyatta at Statehouse Mombasa late December.