Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire has threatened striking doctors under KMPDU to resume their duties or they will be replaced on a temporary basis.
On Tuesday, January 9, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU), Embu chapter, through its Chairperson Dr Denis Mugambi announced the start of a strike by its members.
the move has seen health saervices paralysed in the county, with Governor Mbarire announcing that she has engaged the services of private and retired doctors to handle the health crisis.
The county boss reiterated her commitment to engage the striking medics — through their union — in consultative dialogue on the best solution to their grievances.
She, however, asserted that she would not hesitate to take decisive administrative action if the medical personnel remained adamant and insisted on downing their tools.
Speaking on Wednesday, January 10 when she toured the Embu Level Five Hospital to asses the situation, Governor Mbarire said the doctors’ demands cannot be met since the county is currently facing a financial crisis.
MCAs who had accompanied the Governor, led by Speaker Josiah Thiriku, are now calling on the striking health workers to shelve threats of crippling operations of county hospitals and come to the negotiation table to have their grievances addressed amicably.
‘You will be sacked’
The speaker cautioned doctors against holding the county at ransom through strikes.
The leaders called for sacking of all striking medical personnel if they were unwilling to return to work and restore normalcy in all public health facilities across the county as they await deliberations on their grievances.
While accusing the doctors of acting like goons by using industrial action as a weapon to scare the County Government into submission, the leaders said that many health professionals are jobless and in desperate need of jobs.
These jobless professionals, the leaders said, would not hesitate to take up such positions if declared vacant.
Story by William Moige, TV47 Senior Reporter
