Slashing salaries for President, gov't officials is the remedy to doctors' strike - Lawyer Willis Otieno

Safina Party deputy leader Willis Otieno has stated that the government should slash salaries for the President, Cabinet Secretaries (CS) and all government officials if it wants to end the standoff with striking doctors.

During an interview on Citizen TV’s Daybreak on Thursday, he suggested that the government should not deny doctors their pay under the defense of the need to tame a high wage bill while government officials receive huge paychecks.

“If the government desires to pay less allegedly because they don't have enough money, start by reducing your own salary,” he said.

“Then you call the doctors back to the negotiating table and tell them this is the state of our economy. We are not able to afford our commitment; can we renegotiate this CBA to reduce the terms of engagement?”

Otieno said that doctors should refrain from engaging the government in negotiations till the existing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is acted upon.

“Why should doctors waste time negotiating with the government on payment or going back to work, when the previous negotiation, the commitment that was signed is not being honored?” he posed.

"You cannot say that the government was coerced or was under duress when signing. In terms of equality of arms at that negotiating table, the government was far stronger than the union. So they committed to that CBA,” said Otieno.

His sentiments come as the doctors’ strike enters the fourth week.

President William Ruto lectured doctors on April 7 saying that no money will be offered to solve the health sector crisis beyond the set budget, insisting that Kenya needs to live within its means.

The Head of Public Service Felix Kosgei has invited doctors to the negotiation table as long as they suspend the ongoing strike.

In a statement dated April 9, Koskei stated that the committee meeting would only be held 24 hours after the doctors ended their strike.