Kenyans should join doctors and call for Nakhumicha's resignation - Senator Maanzo

During an interview with Citizen TV on Thursday, the legislator argued that CS Nakhumicha has failed to deal with the ongoing crisis in the health sector, which has seen doctors down their tools for over three weeks.

"As a minister, she should be able to come up with solutions unless she is directed from elsewhere. If she understood the medical world and how doctors function then she would know what to do," he said.

"She is incompetent and this has come out in how she has handled the matter."

Given the grave danger patients face in abandoned hospital wards, Senator Maanzo further suggested that Kenyans should even take to the streets and show solidarity with the striking doctors. 

"If more lives should be lost then all Kenyans should join the doctors in a strike. We should have demonstrations as there has never been in this country for her resignation and for the health sector to be set right," Maanzo noted.

"She is in enough trouble. She rather sort out this matter of doctors urgently or she faces the wrath of Kenyans."

He proposed that the possible way to disentangle the crisis is to devolve health and allow counties to operate independently and effectively administer health services.

His sentiments come barely 24 hours after Embakasi East Member of Parliament (MP) Babu Owino said he has written to the National Assembly speaker of his intention to move an impeachment motion against CS Nakhumicha. 

He claimed the motion, which has already received the support of 111 MPs, is based on two grounds: gross violation of the constitution and incompetence. 

Hours later, more trouble rocked Nakhumicha's boat as the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) called for her resignation for failing to avert the ongoing human resource crisis in the health sector.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), which has over 7,000 members, went on strike on 15 March to demand salary arrears and immediate hiring of trainee doctors.

They however turned down a two billion offer from the government to help solve the standoff, arguing that the offer has not fully honored the the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Other CSs facing the axe, as per NCCK's move, include Mithika Linturi (Agriculture) and Kipchumba Murkomen (Roads & Transport) for failing to address the pertinent issues under their dockets.