Kakamega County Government Demeans And Infringes The Doctors’ Rights.

Unlike every Kenyan who has the right to picket and to present petitions to the public authorities as enshrined in Article 37 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, circumstances turned ironical to the Kakamega Doctors who were scared by the County security team holding hoes for them not to exit the Kakamega County general and referral hospital gate yesterday 28th May.

The doctors , who were on their peaceful demonstration, persisted injustices by the county government as the main reason for the strike, including issues like promotions, lack of comprehensive health insurance, acute shortage of medical personnel and the poor working conditions they’re in.

Consequently ,the respective individuals had no option but to abide by the law by remaining calm to their actions especially when the police officers holding teargas machines into their hands alighted from their land cruiser cars joined the County enforcement to threaten them.

Despite their struggles in exiting the premises of the hospital, the County security team stood firm not allowing any doctor to get outside the hospital for the demonstration as it had been commanded by their boss the governor.

The actions at the scene surprised few passers by, and there by asking themselves endless questions.

“Do the governor of Kakamega County do what he says While In public forums? Does he actually love the people who elected him for the position? Is there anything he can brag of it for the three year’s he has been in office?”, They asked amongst one another.

Our governor doesn’t know that;

“When the matter is addressed effectively there can be significant improvement of overall well-being and quality of life including being his score card of getting to re-sit the gubernatorial seat in 2027”, explained Dr. Joseph Makonere the the Western branch chair of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU).

Doctor Kairi Sande who’s the secretary of the branch in the region, who was also present echoed the sentiments by explaining that “We are here to demand the issues in our strike notice are resolved”

He went on;

“Its very hurting for the County government of Kakamega to be giving us daily promises but they’re not willing us to sit at the negotiation table to come up with a long term solution”, Commented Dr. Kairi Sande.

At that particular moment, Dr. Dennis Miskella who’s the deputy secretary general for the union warned the County of government of Kakamega for hiring goons to interrupt their peaceful demonstration.

“If the High Court dismissed the former Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome’s application seeking to set aside a judgment that found him personally culpable for police brutality during the February 2024 strike by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), whom do you think you’re”, addressed the deputy Secretary General as he told the County government to be in response of any Doctor’s Injury.

The doctor’s strike comes two months ago after the Universal Health care workers (UHC) in the region requesting the County governments to secure permanent, pensionable positions, for the worker’s warning that failure to do so it will result in a complete shutdown of hospital services across the counties, a case being observed here at Kakamega at the moment.

The office of the governor so far hasn’t given any response a bout the the measures it will incorporate to solve the Doctor’s strike even after Dr. Joseph Makonere the the Western branch chair of the Kenya Medical Practitioners with a few of his colleagues presenting themselves to the governor’s office.