Doctors vow to go on with strike

Doctors are pressing ahead with plans for a strike on Monday despite government pleas to postpone it.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union yesterday said the talks had been marred by barriers “deliberately erected by the government” and vowed to go ahead with the strike.

About 2,300 doctors are demanding a 300 per cent salary increase and hardship allowances.

At a news conference, union secretary Boniface Chitayi, blamed the government for the breakdown of negotiations that started on November 21, two days after the doctors announced plans for the strike.

But Public Health permanent secretary Mark Bor called for further consultations.

And, in a new twist, the Union of Kenya Civil Servants disowned the planned doctors’ strike.

The two unions are engaged in a tussle over membership. Civil servants union deputy secretary-general Jerry ole Kina urged the doctors to give dialogue a chance.

“We do not support the doctors’ strike and we strongly advise our members not to be dragged into an illegality,” Mr Kina said in a statement.

Doctors insist that the civil servants union does not represent them, but Mr Kina said the claim was wrong and contradictory.

While announcing that the strike was on, Dr Chitayi accused the ministry of arbitrarily transferring union officials and stopping the salaries of 95 doctors, including the union’s treasurer.

He said the Treasury had not been represented at the negotiations, and the government had deliberately delayed handing the union a counter-proposal.

Last Friday, the government reached an agreement with the Kenya Health Professionals Society to shelve strike plans but Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union sought to negotiate separately.

“The doctors’ union wishes to state that the doctors’ strike will begin on Monday, December 5, 2011. The proposals made by the government are unacceptable to the doctors because the net gain after taxation is minute,” Dr Chitayi said.

Mr Bor pleaded with the doctors to return to the negotiating table.

“The government pleads with the union to consider their plans for the sake of Kenyans and put off the strike,” he said.