Opposition leader Raila Odinga has come under sharp criticism after he claimed that Jubilee leaders were busy seeking votes instead of resolving the ongoing doctors’ strike.
Speaking during an ODM rally in Kisii, the former Prime Minister said President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto were traversing the country, seeking votes, while patients continue to suffer due to the strike.
In a rejoinder statement, Leader of Majority in The National Assembly Aden Duale hit out at Raila, telling him to stop politicising the strike.
On Monday, Labour Court Judge Hellen Wasilwa sentenced doctors’ union officials to one month imprisonment for calling a strike, against court orders.
Here is Duale’s full statement following Raila’s remarks:
“Raila Odinga is at it again: perfecting the art of scapegoating, lamenting and blame game.
Odinga should respond to claims of corruption and extortion, which is scaring away investors in the agricultural field.
The Cord leader has chosen to play politics with the doctors’ strike.
It is unfortunate that the strike has caused immense suffering and pain to many Kenyans.
Health being a devolved function, the county governments as employers, has engaged in protracted negotiations with the union officials.
The national government stepped in to work with county governments in trying to resolve the stalemate.
The President facilitated a meeting where an offer of 40 per cent increase on the gross total pay that would amount to Sh196, 444 was made.
This increment would put a doctor at the same pay as other public servants who have worked for 10 years at job group Q.
The Council of Governors challenged the legitimacy of the strike in the Labour Court as is provided by the Constitution.
Consequently, the court declared the strike illegal because the so-called CBA was not registered and the leaders of the union were directed to call it off.
Parliament too, both the Senate and National Assembly, pronounced themselves on the matter and in fact factored the doctors salary increase in the Supplementary Budget. They asked them to return to work. They declined.
The union leaders refused to comply with the court order and after several pardons; the judge was forced to make the unfortunate decision to take them to jail.
Everyone, all institutions of government, including the executive, must comply with court orders.
The executive has complied numerous court orders among them the decision by the court to quash the recruitment of 10,000 police officers, rescinding a decision to close the Daadab Refugee Camp and a declaration of a section of the of the Media Act as unconstitutional
To refuse to comply with a court order is nothing but impunity and an affront to the rule of law and the Constitution.
The leaders of the doctors union have not been jailed by the Executive. They have not been jailed for pursuing their rights. They have been jailed for disobeying the court.
All these facts are very well known to Raila Odinga. But as expected of him and typical to his type of populist politics, he has chosen to stand with the union leaders in contempt of court, and not millions of Kenyans who are suffering in our health facilities.
In fact, the “illegal CBA” that has created all this suffering to Kenyans was entered into when Odinga served as Prime Minister in the Coalition Government. The Health docket was led by his close ally, supporter and appointee, Prof Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o.
For Odinga, we want him to concentrate on the very serious allegations of extortion and corruption surrounding him, his family and close allies.
He may require the services of the lawyers he is proposing for the doctors’ strike.
Finally, not all doctors are on strike as alleged. In many counties, the health workers resolved their issues with their employers, the county government.
We urge other counties to follow suit and resolve the stalemate, the latest unfortunate development notwithstanding.”