Why Kenya Police Has Sent Warning to Striking Doctors

The striking doctors have been put on notice over the supposed inconvenience they cause while taking to the streets to demonstrate.

The medical practitioners have been downing their tools for a month now, demanding, among other things, better remuneration and the posting of interns to stations.

According to the police, the medics were inconveniencing others by lying on the streets thus obstructing highways, and public roads and disrupting the free flow of vehicles and movement of people.

The law enforcers noted that the medics had become a public nuisance, causing noise and discomfort to patients in the hospital and the general by blowing whistles and vuvuzelas during their demonstrations thus causing discomfort to patients in hospitals and the general public.

The police also noted that non-medics were seizing the opportunity to cause havoc and terror to the public.

Police Commanders were therefore ordered to be vigilant and arrest any instance of lawlessness.

The doctors were warned 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.

Meanwhile, President William Ruto told off the doctors insisting that the country was too broke to meet their demands.

The president expressed concern over the inflated wage bill in the country, noting that it was taking a huge chunk of revenue.

While the doctors' union insisted on better remuneration for its members, the president said his object was to lower the wage bill to below 35% of the country's revenue.

He said the country needed money to fund development and other sectors, suggesting the doctors' call for improved remuneration would not be met given the state's many commitments.

"We can progressively reduce our wage bill so that we can free more resources to create jobs for our young people and to fund our healthcare, education, and development," said Ruto.

With the foregoing, Ruto underscored his administration's resolve to pay intern doctors Sh 70,000 monthly stipend as they await employment.

"I'm telling our friends, the doctors; we mind about them and value their services to our nation, but we must live within our means. The resources we have are only sufficient to pay KSh 70,000 to interns. It is not a salary, but a stipend for only one year and then they will be employed," said the president.