Trans Nzoia Governor Natembeya threatens to fire striking doctors, eyes Ugandan replacements

Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya has hinted at the possibility of dismissing striking doctors in the county and recruiting medical personnel from Uganda as replacements.

This comes as the nationwide doctors' strike enters day 41. Doctors have been on strike since March 14 over the government’s failure to adhere to the medics’ 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), among other grievances, with negotiations between the two parties hitting  a snag.

“Since the East African Community protocols allow free movement of labour, goods and services, I will just declare vacancies and get doctors from Uganda. Mandera County government has recruited doctors from Ethiopia and they are working for them,” Natembeya said on Monday as per The Nation.

Decrying the lack of operational health facilities in Trans Nzoia, Natembeya asserted that his county has addressed grievances raised by the medics, further questioning their resolve to participate in the nationwide strike led by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU).

“I have implemented all the doctors’ demands except for the promotion of nine doctors which the County Public Service Board is working on. We made a decision a long time ago and their promotion is pending with the board. We have already promoted 30 of them,” said Natembeya.

“Doctors in other counties are working, it is only the national government doctors who have a problem. It is unfair for us to continue paying them when they are not serving our people,” he argued.

While noting that the government should address the grievances of striking medics countrywide, Natembeya warned that Trans Nzoia medics will not receive their April salaries and will be sacked in May if they don't return to duty immediately.

“All the striking health workers will miss out on their April salaries and they risk losing their jobs from May if they don’t resume duty at their places of work,” he said.