Kenya: Medics press on as court declares strike illegal

The Employment and Labour Relations Court of Kenya has declared the ongoing health workers strike illegal and ordered the striking doctors and nurses to go back to work.

However the secretary general of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Dr Ouma Oluga dismissed the ruling, saying that they would not resume operations, if the government fails to implement the 300 per cent salary hike, as it was agreed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2013.

Court orders striking doctors & nurses to resume work immediately; KMPDU SG Ouma Oluga urges members to defy the order. #DoctorsStrike pic.twitter.com/axClTrTEQt

— Robin Njogu (@robinnjogu) December 13, 2016

He said they would stop at nothing until their pleas are heard, and castigated possible arrest, for defying a Court order, according to a local media source, Hivisasa.

This comes even as the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Governing Council disowned a return to work formula, that Chairman John Bii signed with the government over the weekend, directing that they resume duty immediately.

KNUN secretary general Seth Panyako said the Council was not consulted, and that the strike continues until nurses get a pay hike.

The strike that began December 5th has paralysed operations,leading to the deaths of about 20 people.

Medics in the private sector also said would join the strike on Tuesday in solidarity with their public counterparts.