Striking doctors in Nairobi ignore ‘show cause’ letters
Striking doctors in Nairobi have ignored letters from City Hall that demanding that they show cause why they should not be sacked terming them as “love letters”.
The doctors have also dared Governor Evans Kidero to make good of his threat to sack them by Friday.
Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union Nairobi branch chairman Thuranira Kaugiria said that they are used to the empty threats by the county government and will not be cowed to resume work.
Dr Kaugiria also told off the governor saying that they were now fighting with the national government and not their employer at City Hall.
“Let the Governor Dr Kidero take those letters – we call them love letters – to the doctors at home as the doctors are not near the hospitals or City Hall to pick them,” said Dr Thuranira.
DECEMBER SALARIES
Dr Thuranira added that they are not worried about missing their December salaries because they are sure they will be paid once they get their demands implemented.
He said that doctors have suffered worse than one month salary and their sights are set on the implementation of the collective bargain agreement.
The county Executive Health Dr Bernard Muia backed the move to sack the doctors saying that the implementation of the directive was on course.
Dr Muia said that they had already given the County Hospitals superintend letters for all the 124 doctors on strike and have a week to respond on why they should not be sacked.
DISCIPLINARY ACTION
“All our medical superintend have the respective letters for doctors to show-cause why we should not sack them. Failure to respond in the next one week they will face disciplinary action,” said Dr Muia.
He added that the county has already drafted the advertisement of 46 medical doctors in the first phase of re-hiring and will later advertise pharmacists’ and dentists’ position.
He said they have so far received over 900 application for the positions and they have not even started replacing the striking doctors.
On Tuesday, Dr Kidero said that the doctors who fail to resume work by the end of the week will face probable dismissal and their jobs would be advertised for replacement.
