Governor Wavinya Ndeti Suspends Striking Doctors' Salaries After Downing Tools Again - Kenyans.co.ke

Striking doctors in Machakos County will not be getting paid, the county's Governor Wavinya Ndeti has revealed.

In a statement the county government shared with Kenyans.co.ke on Thursday morning, Ndeti revealed that a section of doctors downed their tools on Wednesday, following their 14-day strike notice’s expiry on October 8.

On Saturday, the Health workers had issued a two-week notice but the county did not address the key issues they have been advocating for in the past two years prompting the strike.

According to the county, the doctor's strike continues to put the county at a loss. Machakos County Public Service Board chairman Albanus Mutisya revealed that the county lost about Ksh77 million during the previous strike by the healthcare providers.

“We are considering that a loss because they never worked for 50 days and when they came back, they were paid full salaries due to a return-to-work formula we got into with them,” Mutisya said.

Speaking at Governor Ndeti’s office in Machakos shortly after the doctors downed tools on Wednesday Mutisya, alongside County Secretary and Head of Public Service Muiya Ndambuki, reiterated that doctors who have not worked will not be paid. They revealed that all the demands by the doctors were met except one which they were currently discussing.

“Now, the county government is concerned that anyone involved in a go-slow or strike won’t get paid. We won’t pay if you don’t work. We have been in discussion with them, and we have met all demands in the health department apart from one which we are discussing, promotions," Mutysia added.

The county has maintained that it promoted health workers for three consecutive years in 2021, 2022, and 2023. However, the doctors maintained that only 6% of the county staff received the promotions. The county faulted the doctors for going on strike again despite fulfilling of all their demands.

According to Ndambuki, 182 medical officers, pharmacists, and dentists and 261 clinical officers went on strike previously for 56 days resulting into the loss.

Meanwhile, the county promised the doctors that the management was actively reviewing promotions for the remaining employees to avert further strikes. He revealed eligible staff were in the process of submitting their applications for processing.

In the strike notice, the doctors had demanded that specialists across all cadres be redesignated appropriately and promoted, implementation of a return to work formula, and provision of comprehensive medical cover for all the health workers before the move to the Social Health Authority (SHA).

The Chairperson of the KMPDU Eastern Region Dr. Charles Okumu blamed the county government for ignoring their demands, stating that this neglect has led to doctors who are due for promotions performing tasks that do not match their job description.