The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has firmly responded to President William Ruto’s suggestion that they accept the government’s offer to end their strike, emphasizing their stance on salary negotiations.
KMPDU Secretary-General Davji Atellah stated on Sunday that they are unwavering regarding salary issues, rebuffing Ruto’s assertion that the country cannot afford salary increases.
Atellah’s remarks followed President Ruto’s comments at the AIC Church in Eldoret during a Sunday service, where he underscored the need for fiscal responsibility and mentioned the government’s proposal to provide a stipend of Sh70,000 to 1,500 interns for one year before employment.
However, Atellah countered that the current salary structure for doctors, including interns, was previously agreed upon in the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) after concessions were made to government demands.
READ ALSO: President Ruto: Kenya Must Live Within Its Means
“We cannot compromise our salaries under the guise of managing the wage bill. Our salaries are governed by the CBA and hold the same importance as any other Kenyan’s,” Atellah emphasized.
He further warned that targeting doctors alone for wage bill reduction would be met with intensified strike action, affirming their unwavering commitment to protecting their salaries.
The doctors plan to stage another demonstration on Tuesday to advocate for their demands, which include addressing longstanding grievances. The strike, ongoing since March 14, has garnered support from specialist doctors in public hospitals, who joined their junior colleagues last Thursday.
Earlier announcements from the government regarding the deployment of medical student interns and disbursement of funds have not swayed the striking doctors, with KMPDU Chairperson Abi Mwachi highlighting unmet promises from past negotiations in 2017 as a basis for their skepticism towards the current government offer.
