No December salary for doctors

Andrew Mulwa (sitting, right), the chairman of the County Executives for Health Forum, and Catherine Mukenyang (sitting, left), a member of the group, at Delta Towers in Nairobi on July 23, 2015. PHOTO | NJUGI NGUGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Some governors said they would withhold the pay.
  • Others said they were yet to decide whether to release the salaries or not while in some counties the medics received their full pay.

Thousands of doctors will go without their December salaries following a strike that has paralysed operations in public hospitals since December 5.

Governors who spoke to the Nation on Tuesday said they would withhold the pay since the doctors, who have been on strike for the past 23 days, had not earned it. Others said they were yet to decide whether to release the salaries or not while in some counties the medics received their full pay.

Nairobi, Makueni, Nakuru, West Pokot, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Siaya, Busia, Kericho and Vihiga counties were emphatic that they would not pay the doctors while Kirinyaga, Trans Nzoia and Kericho said they would make a decision this week.

In Baringo, Turkana, Uasin Gishu, Laikipia and Murang’a, the striking doctors have received their full salaries.

County Executive Forum chairman Andrew Mulwa, who is also the Makueni Health Executive, warned that any governor who pays the doctors will be breaking the law.

Dr Mulwa said the doctors could only be paid if they had signed a legal document on a return-to-work formula that ruled out any punishment for the work boycott.

“The governors do not have any legal basis to pay striking doctors as they absconded their duties,” said Dr Mulwa. “No one is mandated to pay someone who has not worked.”

BEEN WORKING

In Nairobi, Governor Evans Kidero said on Tuesday the county would only pay 54 doctors who allegedly refused to join the boycott and have been working round the clock to ensure health services are not paralysed.

Dr Kidero’s press secretary, Mr Robert Ayisi, said the decision to withhold the salaries was based on a resolution by the Council of Governors to take action against the striking medics.

In Nakuru, Health Executive Daniel Mungai Kabii said all the 72 striking doctors and consultants would not get their December salaries.

“This strike is illegal as far as the county is concerned and, therefore, the striking doctors and other health workers will not be paid for the days they have absconded duty,” said Dr Kabii.

He said the county had recruited 150 nurses, 30 pharmaceutical officers and 15 laboratory technicians to fill the vacancies of the striking health workers.

West Pokot Health Chief Officer Christine Akuto was categorical that the doctors in the county would not be paid their December dues.

“We will only pay those who are on official leave,” said Ms Akuto and asked: “How can we pay someone who has not worked?

“We only pay for the services rendered.”

She added: “The doctors have not worked, so they should not expect any pay.”

Kisumu Health Executive Elizabeth Ogaja said the county would follow the labour law and would not pay the striking workers, while Vihiga Governor Moses Akaranga threatened to sack the doctors if they do not resume duty.

NOT EARNED

Dr Ogaja and her Busia counterpart, Dr Maurice Siminyu, said that by staying away from work the doctors had not earned their December salaries.

“Salary is earned and not a guarantee,” said Dr Siminyu. “If they have not worked, I am afraid we will not pay them their December salaries, and this applies to all county workers.

“We will adopt a no-work, no- pay strategy should they go on with the strike.”

In Homa Bay, 22 out of 40 doctors will not be paid, according to Health Executive Lawrence Odeny, while in Kericho and Siaya, officers said they would follow the CoG’s directive and the court order that declared the strike illegal.

“Who are we to violate an agreement made by the Council of Governors?” asked Mrs Dorothy Owino, the Siaya Chief Officer for Health. “We have decided to stick to their directive.

“Doctors working in Siaya should not expect their December pay.”

The Kericho Health Executive, Mrs Hellen Ng’eno, said the Health Department would hold talks on the matter.

She said, however, that the counties affected by the industrial action had precise instructions from the CoG not to pay the doctors since they had taken part in an unprotected strike.

“We were given firm instructions by the Council of Governors not to pay but I cannot confirm for now whether this is the position which will be taken by our county,” said Mrs Ng’eno. “I will have to go through the payroll first and then I will give a clearer statement.”

ALL EMPLOYEES

Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi said they had already paid all their employees doctors included while Turkana Health Executive Jane Ajele said the December salaries were automatically paid following an agreement with the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPPDU) in the early stages of the strike.

“Governor Josphat Nanok instructed senior management of Lodwar County Referral Hospital, County Public Service Board, Health Chief Officer Agnes Mana and the Health Executive to sit together with union members and strike a deal which we did,” said Ms Ajele.

Also in Uasin Gishu, the Nation learnt, all county staff, including doctors, had been paid.

Mr Wilson Kemei, the Chief Officer for Health, said all the 20 doctors in the county had received their salaries and resumed work following talks.

“All our doctors are on duty,” said Mr Kemei. “We talked and agreed that there was no need of patients to suffer yet there was a way we could assist.”

Nyeri doctors have received their December payslips but not the money due to a delay attributed to a malfunctioning IFMIS payment system. The county did not say when it expected to release the money, however, saying the decision had not been reached.

Kirinyaga will on Wednesday decide whether or not to pay the striking doctors.

“A meeting to discuss the payment is scheduled to take place at Kerugoya hospital,” said Health Executive Hesbon Gakuo. “We want to know whether the doctors who have not resumed work will be paid their dues or not.”

 The Trans Nzoia Deputy Governor, Dr Stanley Tarus, was non-committal, only saying: “We are waiting for direction from Ministry of Health on how to handle the matter.

“The county government cannot make any promise on whether we will pay or not.”

 

Report by George Munene, Martin Mwaura, Rushdie Oudia, Gaitano Pessa, Derick Luvega, Timothy Kemei, Benson Amadala, Nelcon Odhiambo, Maurice Kaluoch, Oscar Kakai, Gerald Bwisa, Sammy Lutta, Florah Koech, Francis Mureithi and Lilian Mutavi.