Doctors strike mediation team deposits report in court

Religious leaders in the doctors’ mediation process on Tuesday, March 7 filed a report in court that reveals that the parties involved in the mediation are yet to agree on the modalities for the signing of the return-to-work-formula, the Recognition Agreement between the 47 counties and the signing of the CBA 2013.

According to the report, the doctors, however, want the return-to-work-formula signed after Recognition Agreement between the 47 counties and thereafter the signing of the CBA 2013.

Though their lawyer, Phillip Murgor, doctors insist that the Recognition Agreement between the 47 counties must be signed first.

According to the report presented before the three-judge-bench the government proposed as token of good gesture to either backdate the Risk Allowance to commence in July 2016 or alternatively to backdate the Emergency Allowance to October 2017.

The effect to the increments would increase the doctors wage bill to 14. 5 billion shillings per year.

The leaders, who were given an opportunity to end the strike, say that they prayed and fasted during the three days and even cried to God to help them find a solution that is just and acceptable to all.

The religious leaders met President Uhuru Kenyatta and they were informed that the total current remuneration for Doctors before any adjustments is 10.2 billion shillings per annum of which the portion of the National Government is 3 billion shillings while counties receive 7.2 billion shillings per annum.

When the Head of State met with the doctors in Mombasa, it is reported that he agreed to award 10,000 shillings per month as risk allowance, Doctors Allowance to range from 66,000 shillings per month for interns to 80,000 shillings per month for the highest paid doctors. Which according to the president, this increment would be to increase the total remuneration for doctors to 13.9 billion per annum.

Further it was reported that salaries, due for the period that the doctors have been on strike the government has been released to all the 47 counties and that there will be no victimization on either side.

“We the religious leaders believe that we have delivered on our mandate. We therefore leave the matter to the court discretion for further directions,” reads the document.

The Court of Appeal while accepting the report signed by the religious leaders urged the leaders not to bow out of the talks until the pending issues are resolved.