NAIROBI, KENYA: The Inspector General of Police, Japhet Koome, has termed ongoing demonstrations by doctors and clinical officers in the country as an inconvenience to the public and directed his officers to “firmly and decisively” deal with the rioting medics.
According to the IG, the medics have been lying on the streets thus obstructing highways, public roads and disrupting free flow of vehicles and movement of people during their demonstrations.
Koome further said that the medics have engaged in the demonstrations without notifying police officers, which is contrary to the laws of Kenya.
“The medics have become a public nuisance, blowing whistles and vuvuzelas during the demonstrations thus causing discomfort to patients in hospitals and general public,” a statement from the IG on Sunday detailed.
He further stated that non-medics, who have intentions of causing havoc to the public intend to join the ongoing demonstrations.
Therefore, the medics have been urged to conduct the demonstrations with caution, as any act of infringing the rights of the general public will not be tolerated.
“In the interest of national security therefore, all respective Police Commanders have been instructed to deal with such situations firmly and decisively in accordance with the law. We wish to caution all doctors to refrain from infringing on the rights of others while demonstrating, and that their efforts to disrupt smooth operations of hospitals will not be tolerated,” Koome added.
This is not the first time Kenyan doctors are striking over poor pay and working conditions. In 2017 doctors took part in a 100-day strike that saw people dying from lack of care. The strike ended with the doctors’ union signing an agreement with the government to increase their pay.
It is now a month since doctors downed their tools, and have been taking to the streets to demand the posting of interns and implementation of other agreements in the 2017 CBA. Medics are also demanding for better pay and working conditions.
President William Ruto on Sunday broke his silence over the strike saying there was no money to pay striking doctors.
“We must be honest with ourselves and the truth is that we must live within our means, we can’t borrow money to pay salaries”, Ruto said.
The doctors’ union has remained adamant, and on Tuesday hundreds of doctors took part in protests and presented a petition to parliament urging lawmakers to intervene in their labor dispute.