Wambora announces 50 per cent pay increase for doctors

Embu Governor Martin Wambora at Kangaru Girls School in the county on May 28, 2016. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Speaking at Kiritiri market after launching an activity of tarmacking roads, the governor said he was ready to employ doctors from India, Cuba, Tanzania and Uganda as well as locals who have required skills.

  • Mr Wambora said the county government is in the process of taking roll calls in all public hospitals and those found to have failed to return to work by the close of Thursday would be replaced.

Embu Governor Martin Wambora has announced a 50 per cent pay increase and round-the-clock police protection for doctors who will resume duty at public hospitals and threatened to sack all striking doctors in the county and replace them with immediate effect.

Speaking at Kiritiri market after launching an activity of tarmacking roads, the governor said he was ready to employ doctors from India, Cuba, Tanzania and Uganda as well as locals who have required skills.

Mr Wambora said the county government was in the process of taking roll calls in all public hospitals and those found to have failed to return to work by the end of Thursday would be replaced.

He ordered about 30 doctors and interns who were pursuing postgraduate courses to resume duty immediately until the situation stabilises.

“I will embrace colonial rule and will not allow my people to continue suffering. I have ordered my officers to start conducting a roll call. If the doctors think that we will kneel for them, they are wrong,” Mr Wambora said.

He said salaries of medical superintendents at Level 4 and 5 hospitals who had been on duty during the strike would be increased by 50 per cent and their allowances paid as they had agreed with the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union. The pay rise will be back-dated to January 2017.

“This was the agreement that we had as governors with President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto at the mini-summit in Naivasha," the governor said. "As a country, we can’t sit down and watch as our patients suffer because of greedy doctors.”

Mr Wambora said the county government would provide adequate security to protect those already at work and new recruits in order to prevent those who will be sacked from harassing them.