Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka defend doctors in strike fallout

National Super Alliance (Nasa) co-principals Musalia Mudavadi and Kalonzo Musyoka have criticised the national and county governments over handling of the doctor’s strike.

Speaking separately, the leaders blamed the government for lacking good faith in the negotiations.

Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi accused Jubilee government of undermining doctors in their quest for better pay.

He blamed the government for the long strike and accused the State of exhibiting “arrogance and heavy handedness” in handling the impasse.

SH600 MILLION

Mr Mudavadi was reacting to the withdrawal of the Sh600 million that President Uhuru Kenyatta had agreed to on Monday night.

The government has since stopped all negotiations and the doctors’ union is at risk of being deregistered and the medics face disciplinary action for not attending to patients.

“Jubilee despises workers,” Mr Mudavadi said on Wednesday in a statement.

“Right to decent pay is protected by Constitution so Jubilee is daydreaming.”

He went on: “Deregistering a union could be part of their (Jubilee’s) recurring ambition to abrogate the Constitution because organised labour is protected by Constitution.”

SCANDALS

The government’s move, Mr Mudavadi said, was a clearest pointer how Jubilee aspires to rule by decree.

“This is diversion against scandals in health ministry”, the former deputy Prime Minister said.

Mr Musyoka accused both levels of government of lacking good faith in negotiating with the doctors on the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

"If you negotiate, you must do so in good faith," the Wiper Party said at fourth annual devolution conference in Naivasha.

DEREGISTERED

In the meantime, the Council of Governors (CoG) clarified that it has no intention of having the doctors’ union deregistered.

CoG Chairman Peter Munya, speaking at the devolution conference said both levels of government have no power to deregister a workers' union.

"Our position is that as an employer, we have an option and must enjoy certain rights and especially the ordinary citizens,” he said.

RESUME WORK

The Meru Governor also clarified that the 50 per cent offer has not been withdrawn and doctors willing to resume work will enjoy the increase.

"What has been withdrawn is the enticing offer of Sh600 million, which was also a sweetener given Monday evening and backdated to January on condition that the doctors resume work on Tuesday,” he said

He said counties are working on contingency measures including issuing letters of dismissal to the striking doctors.

SH325,000

The measures, he said, include recruiting doctors locally and "across the borders" before the situation returns to normal.

Doctors have generous pay expectations — they want a medical intern paid a minimum salary of Sh325,000 — and also allowed to divide their time and energy between public hospitals and their own clinics.

They also want the current system of registering and disciplining doctors to remain in the hands of doctors, even though the system is so totally broken, creating a culture of impunity where doctors are never punished for medical malpractice, negligence and incompetence.

ECONOMY

President Kenyatta had asked why, even after doctors were given “better pay than their counterparts in private hospitals”, they had refused to take the offer.

“Intern doctors will be paid more money than doctors in Nairobi Hospital, Aga Khan and others,” said the President. “The irony is that they will only work for two hours before running to their private clinics.”

He said while the government was committed to a fair solution to the doctors’ dispute, it was equally concerned about the welfare of other public servants like the police and the military, who also offer critical service to the nation.

He challenged doctors to be fair and accept the reality of the country’s economy.