Uhuru Kenyatta;Stop political campaigns and address more urgent matters like doctor's strike, ODM leaders demand

Ouma Oluga, Secretary-General of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentist Union (KMPDU), addresses doctors during a strike to demand fulfilment of a 2013 agreement (Reuters)



Six ODM lawmakers have condemned President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto for keeping quiet on the ongoing health crisis.


Ugunja Member of Parliament, Opiyo Wandayi, Florence Mutua (Busia), Fred Outa (Nyando), Zulekha Hassan (nominated) and National Assembly Health Committee members Raphael Otaalo (Lurambi) and James Nyikal (Seme) during a media briefing at Parliament Buildings yesterday urged the government to intervene and stop the ongoing doctors and nurses’ strike. 
ODM MPs Florence Mutua, Opiyi Wandayi and Zulekha Hassan during a media briefing at Parliament Buildings yesterday. (the star)

The lawmakers termed the raging health crisis a creation of the Jubilee administration, which, they said, wants to continue clinging to billions meant for devolved functions.

So far over 20 patients have already died since the strike began three days ago.
The doctors are demanding a 300-percent pay rise which will see the lowest paid doctor earn Sh342,000 while the highest should be earn Sh946,000.
 Kenyan Medics on 'Go-Slow' Over Pay (allafrica) 
The union are also demanding a 25- to 40-percent pay rise for nurses has was agreed in a 2013 collective bargaining agreement, yet to be implemented.

The MPs accused jubilee government of starving the counties of the money meant for essential devolved functions like health, so it can provide its loyal foot soldiers with “a source of quick stolen cash”.

a doctor carrying a banner citing poor pay (Daily Nation) 
In a statement read by Wandayi, the MPs demanded the President to cut short his political campaigns and immediately intervene to have the health services resume back to work, and save Kenyans from the anguish and pain they are currently going through

For the two day, the president has been in the Eastern region launching development projects and marketing the Jubilee party ahead of 2017 general elections.


President Kenyatta launching the tarmacking of Kibwezi-Migwani road (PSCU) 
On Tuesday he launched the tarmacking of Kibwezi-Migwani road to bitumen standards at a cost of Sh18.4 billion.

The week before he had been on a similar errand in the central region despite the doctors having issued an ultimate two weeks before.

The lawmakers pledged support to the health fraternity and amplified their claims that the national treasury was withholding money meant to pay doctors.

 “We concur that doctors, clinical officers, nurses and other health workers deserve better terms of employment, which the county governments cannot offer presently because Jubilee is sitting on monies and some functions meant for the counties,” Wandayi said.


He further added

“We stand with the health workers and condemn the President for his silence and his business-as-usual approach to the crisis. We demand action today, not a day longer.”

On Wednesday, while commissioning of the Kenya Medical Training College, Makindu Campus, Ukambani. President Uhuru urged the health workers to return to work, saying the government was ready to negotiate with them.