PS Muraguri and CS Mailu face off in parliament as strike enters 10th week

Embattled Health PS Nicholas Muraguri on Wednesday offered to tender an apology to his boss Health CS Cleopa Mailu for accusations of insubordination in the ongoing 73-day-running doctors’ strike.

Earlier, a court-appointed mediator and Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli raised concerns that differences between Mailu and his PS Muraguri were behind the protracted strike. On Wednesday, the differences were laid bare when the two appeared before a senate parliamentary committee on health.

During the meeting, PS Muraguri clashed with CS Mailu before the Wilfred Machage led committee over the appointment of a team from the ministry to participate in the negotiations spearheaded by court-appointed mediators to resolve the stalemate.

Mailu, however, disowned earlier claims that there was friction in the Ministry of Health, and instead reckoned the need to jointly execute their various duties at the ministry.

Mailu differed with Muraguri over claims that he had discussed with his PS about the matter related to the team that was to be send from the ministry to join the court-sent cohort.

Mailu said that they did not agree that he should amend the name of the government official, and maintained that Muraguri ignored the directive.

“At no time did we discuss that change of names with the PS. I want to clarify that whereas I accept the apology, we have a role to take the ministry forward.” Mailu said.

He further told the committee: “We have mandates which are given through appointment letters and respective authorities and that what we work with.”

Officials released

Meanwhile, Appellate Court earlier Wednesday ruled that the doctor’s union officials be released from prison immediately to pave way for the resumption of talks to end the stalemate.

Court of Appeal through a three-judge-bench constituted by Judges Wanjiru Karanja, Hannah Okwengu and Jamilla Mohamed consented the release and issued an order for the resumption of negotiations slated to take in seven days.

The mediating parties, Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), will return to court on February 23 for an update.

The talks are to come up with a report aimed at calling off the strike that has lasted more than two months and that private doctors had joined.

Muraguri’s and Mailu’s memberships with the Kenya Medical Association (KMA) were late Tuesday revoked for failure to support the doctors in the ongoing strike, shortly after the High Court ruling that put the medics’ union officials behind bars.