Court declares doctors' strike illegal as KMPDU vows to carry on
What you need to know:
- KMPDU on Tuesday said its members would carry on with the strike even as its officials appeared in court to face contempt charges.
- Immediately after the Milimani Court session, KMPDU Secretary-General Ouma Oluga said the strike would proceed.
The decision of the Council of Governors to sue just before the strike, he said, was premature and that talks were under way.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court has declared the ongoing doctors' strike illegal.
However, doctors insist the national job boycott that has paralysed health services across the country is still on.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPPDU) on Tuesday said its members would carry on with the strike even as its officials appeared in court.
The court had summoned them for allegedly acting in contempt of a court order issued on December 2 stopping the strike that kicked off on December 5.
Immediately after the Milimani Court session, KMPPDU Secretary-General Ouma Oluga said the strike would proceed.
TALKS ONGOING
The decision of the Council of Governors to sue just before the strike, he said, was premature and that talks were under way.
“We want to tell Kenyans that the strike action is well considered; all doctors are asking for is the implementation of the collective bargaining agreement. We are on strike,” he said.
His sentiments came moments after Employment and Labour Relations Court judge Hellen Wasilwa ruled that the strike is illegal.
The judge threatened not to hear the doctors’ case until the industrial action is called off.
JOB BOYCOTT
She directed parties in the case to appear in court on December 19 for further directions.
The health workers' strike kicked off on December 5 though the Council of Governors had obtained court orders stopping it on December 2.
KMPPDU officials, however, claimed they were never served with the order, forcing the judge to direct the union leaders to appear before her today to explain why they should not be punished for breaching court orders.
