Who will listen to the cries of Kenyans? Who among our leaders will rise to the challenge presented by the striking Kenyan doctors? What is this CBA thing and why does the government find it so revolting?
You have to ask yourself why? Why for 95 days, Kenyan doctors have been on strike demanding registration of a CBA. A document negotiated and signed in 2003 that the government is now working so hard to disown, to the extent of admitting to the public treacherous ways, dishonesty and mafia-like tendencies. Looking at the inforgraphic above, it is hard to envision how and why such a well thought egalitarian plan has precipitated a protracted health crisis that has seen needless loss of life.
360° VIEW: Striking Kenyan Doctors tall their Tale
- Kenya Health Crisis: This analysis on the country’s public health system by a Cape Town based Kenyan trained doctor, will make you understand why Kenyan doctors risked it all in the long running industrial action dubbed the #LipaKamaTender doctor’s strike.
- #CBAforKenyans: Still on this strike, you need to check out these bad ass quotes from striking Kenyan Doctors Union Officials. These words uttered at a time of extreme diversity are guaranteed to encourage and inspire.
- Imprisoned! Read KMPDU Secretary General Dr Ouma Oluga’s First Speech upon Release From Kamiti Maximum Prison on 15th February, 2017.
In what must have been another frustrating day for the doctor’s union, KMPDU, secretary general Dr. Ouma Oluga addressed his troops in the fight for better public health care. Here are excerpts of his address to striking Kenyan doctors on their secret Facebook page:
Striking Kenyan Doctors are not in fight with government
This was simply a struggle to influence public policy relating to how WE the Kenyan doctors engage our employer, the Government, and how our
Healthcare can be made to respond to each of our needs as citizens first and then as doctors second.
We approached negotiations with utmost good faith and obedience. Responding to every call of meeting and staying late sometimes up to 3am
even after you advised us to keep it only up to 5pm. Because we believed we could quickly come to an agreement and restore industrial harmony.
What the striking Kenyan doctor is demanding is a CBA
We did eventually talked and concluded the CBA. Yesterday, having consulted NAC, we decided that the financial offer be put in the CBA which then should be signed and registered.
And as fate would prove, the goalposts have shifted once again. The same CBA we revised for months should now wait another 30 days for signing and registration thereafter. The fact is no one wants you to have a CBA. Because a CBA is to a union what the constitution is to a country.
No one should never convince you that fighting for what is right is not worth it. No one deserves your anger beyond the need to protect your profession.
In all, remember that being a doctor is dignified
Finally, it is important to note that while the payroll and the hospital belongs to the government, your skill is selfishly yours. Use it to serve humanity in the best way possible. But let not you think that it must be forced on you to use it. Your skill as a doctor is what you provide as Labour. How much is it worth? Some dignity perhaps. Some respect certainly!
We await to conclude the signing of Recognition Agreements, CBA and then after RTWF as was guided by the Court of Appeal under the Mediation of Religious Leaders. We hope this shall be done soon.
Update 03/21/2017: It would be another five days away from the business of saving lives for the striking Kenyan doctors working in the country’s public sector. No sooner had the ink dried on the Return-To-Work-Formula (RTWF), than the battle grounds were again drawn.
It appears that to be a Kenyan doctor, entails perpetual striking as it emerges that the government had no plans of honoring the RTWF. Now the government talks of curiously importing doctors from a worse off Tanzania.
The doctors union, KMPDU, one not keen to let the forces against responsive public healthcare prevail have responded: They are not about to cower. They won’t let the bad guys win.
Last Updated on by eastview family healthcare