Nairobi, KENYA: The Cabinet Secretary for Health Dr . Cleopa Mailu has urged doctors to reach a compromise on the strike that is ailing the public health sector.
Speaking to journalists on Monday he said that the jailing of Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union KMPDU does not mean the talks would collapse.
” KMPDU has structures whereby the union can choose who will represent them when officials are not present. Absence of a KMPDU official does not mean dialogue cannot go on, ” said Dr. Mailu.
He added that issues of the jailing officials should not be trivialized.
” The jailing is because of contempt of court and not about the CBA.The court made the judgement because it was aggrieved. It is also not the pleasure of the government to witness the imprisonment of a professional, ” he said.
In a statement sent to newsrooms, a section of civil society organizations were saddened by today’s ruling saying it contravened the Constitution.
” The ruling sets a bad precedent and breaches Kenya’s obligations under International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98 on the right to self-organize and Collective Bargaining as well as the right too Fair Labour Relations as enshrined in Article 41 of the Constitution. We are shocked by the absence of the Central Organisation of Trade Unions in the court this morning, ” said the statement from Inter Religious Council of Kenya , KELIN, Sauti ya Wanjiku , Society for International Development SID amongst other civil society organizations.
