Court extends orders barring importation of Tanzanian doctors

The Employment and Labor Relations Court before Justice Aboudha has on Wednesday temporarily extended the interim orders stopping the government from importing foreign doctors until June 5, 2017 when the matter will be mentioned to asses whether parties will be ready to go into full hearing on the matter.

This after all the parties in the case expressed themselves that they needed to exchange court documents and have enough time to make replies to issues raised in the matter hence they were not ready to proceed today (Wednesday).

The Council of Governors has, however, replied to the doctors claim making a critic of it and dismissing it entirely.

Through an affidavit sworn by Ms Jacqueline Mogeni, the Chief Executive Officer Council of gGovernors, she says that the doctors application is premature as the application is filled in court on an assumption which is not right.

“Application by doctors is premature and ill advised and an abuse of court process,” reads the affidavit.

She continues to say that court cannot issue orders to bar recruitment of foreign doctors which is not clear whether an agreement will be reached by Kenya and Tanzania governments.

The affidavit also says that applicants who have dragged the matter before court are not medical officers or dentists thus, if Kenya and Tanzania agree on labor sharing it would no adverse effect on applicants.

Council of Governors also content that if court prematurely bar government from talks and hiring of medical practitioners, such would take away the employers’ rights.

The COG, therefore, in its reply has asked the court to throw out the petition as it is meant to waste court’s time.