Embu doctors kick off go slow in pay dispute

Doctors in public hospitals in Embu County have kicked-off a go-slow in a bid to pressure the government to pay them their three-month salary arrears.

The doctors are camping outside governor Martin Wambora’s office every morning to push for their January, February and March pay.

Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Union Upper Eastern secretary general Mark Ndung’u said the doctors have been victimised for going on strike.

He wondered why doctors in Embu had been denied their dues while others were being paid.

“We will be camping here every morning seeking audience over the withheld salary. There was a directive to pay the salary arrears but they are not showing signs of paying us.

Other officials at Embu County have said it is beyond them and we want the governor to address us,” Dr Ndung’u told the Business Daily.

He said there were indication they would be paid the April salary but without the negotiated increment.

In an earlier interview, Health executive Pauline Njagi had said they would not pay doctors any salaries for the time they were on strike.

“We are not going to pay for work not done. We will only pay salary arrears for those who never went on strike.

“We are following directions from the Council of Governors which we are members,” she said.

Ms Njagi said the salary for the March would, however, be processed.

The doctors had on August 8 last year signed a return to work formula that promised employment of more doctors and promotion of existing ones.

But the county backtracked on the agreement, forcing the doctors to kick off industrial action on November 14, which lasted for 21 days before merging with the national wide strike.