Kisumu — Striking doctors in the Nyanza region have told the Council of Governors (CoG) chairperson Ann Waiguru to keep off their affairs and stop issuing threats to them.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Western branch secretary Dr Sande Charo says the Kirinyaga Governor is biting too much to swallow.
"I saw the Governor coming in for the dialogue with threats to the doctors meeting between the Union and the national government, she has no capacity," he said.
Last week, Waiguru told the striking doctors to halt the ongoing strike and resume work or face consequences.
Charo says Waiguru has a bad record on how she has handled doctors in her county and has no right to meddle in the ongoing talks to end the strike.
"She is among the Governors who are frustrating the health sector," he said.
Speaking to the press in Kisumu on Tuesday at the start of a protest march by doctors drawn from the Nyanza region, Charo says Waiguri is on record not obeying court orders on matters concerning doctors in her county.
"She has taken the law into her own hands, not obeying court orders and Public Service Commission directives," he said.
Charo told the national government to ensure Governors who have frustrated doctors in the past not to sit at the negotiations table if they want the talks to succeed.
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He further welcomed the move by the Health Cabinet Secretary Wafula Nakhumicha for a review of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed in 2017 but remains unimplemented.
"It is good to look at the CBA but let it take care of the inflation, but we will not allow it to be downgraded," he said.
The protest started at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Sports Ground then to Oginga Odinga Street before joining State House Road towards Prosperity Building.
KMPDU Nyanza branch chairman Dr Steve Ndonga is leading the procession, with doctors carrying placards and blowing whistles.
Ndonga says they will only return to work if the CBA signed 7 years ago is implemented among other issues listed.
"Can we have our new CBA registered in court so as to forestall these strikes," he said.
He noted that threats will not work to sort out the industrial dispute and warned government officials and Governors issuing threats to allow the labour laws.
