Nairobi doctors in pay row with county

Doctors in Nairobi County now says they have received their salaries despite tough talk by Governor Evans Kidero that the health workers will not paid for days they were on strike.

On Wednesday last week, Dr Kidero said he will not pay doctors who had taken part in the 100-day strike claiming they had not worked for the county.

Speaking to Nation.co.ke the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Nairobi branch secretary general Thuranira Kaugiria said that the doctors had received their March salaries and that the county was in the process of paying the arrears by next week.

Dr Thuranira said that the doctors were surprised to hear that no payment will be done yet they have received their pay.

“These governors are looking for political mileage…even the Council of Governors chairman Peter Munya has paid his doctors. We are not worried by this utterances,” said Dr Thuranira.

Dr Thuranira said that the doctors salaries is least of their problem as the governors are yet to sit and discuss the terms in the return-to-work formula signed to end the 100-day strike.

The doctors called off the strike on March 14.

Dr Thuranira said the count down to the signing of the Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA) and recognition agreement is what they are waiting for with only 30 days remaining.

However, the county health executive Bernard Muia declined to confirm or deny the claims by the doctors saying that he is not involved in paying the health workers.

“I only do policy…matters of money especially for the workers are not in my docket…I cannot comment on such a delicate matter,” said Dr Muia.