Raila blasts Uhuru moments after court orders doctors officials’ release

National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga has blasted President Uhuru Kenyatta over his silence and misplaced priorities over the 73-day old doctors’ strike.

On Wednesday morning, the Court of Appeal three-judge bench of Jamila Mohamed, Wanjiru Karanja and Hannah Okwengu ordered the immediate release of seven jailed doctors' officials to facilitate a resumption of talks between the government and the medics.

Raila had on Monday instructed his lawyers to immediately take up the doctor’s case against the government.

The lawyers present at the Court of Appeal included Cord Senators James Orengo and Mutula Kilonzo Jr.

Speaking outside the Court of Appeal chambers, Raila said Kenyans were saddened by the imprisonment of innocent doctors who were fighting for their rights.

Constitutional rights

He said under the constitution, Kenyans have a right to protest, demonstrate and freedom of expression maintaining that negotiations should be the best way of resolving any dispute.

“This (Jubilee) government has lost it. It has violated the rights of Kenyans and all this time the President is silent. This is the time he should be speaking and not about mass voter registration,” Raila said.

He maintained that this was the time for President Kenyatta to lead from the front and resolve the health crisis in the country which has dragged on for a long time at the cost of suffering Kenyans some of whom have lost their lives during the doctors strike.

“This crisis has shown that this government cannot lead this country towards the realisation of Vision 2030. I appeal to the people of Kenya to be united and vote out this government on August 8 so that we can put in place an administration that will respect the rights of the people,” Raila said.

Health Service Commission

Raila said a NASA Government will create an independent Health Service Commission where doctors and nurses can have an avenue for negotiations on issues dealing with their salaries and remunerations.

He blamed the Kenyatta administration of having poor labour relations with the Kenyan workers citing the previous teachers’ strike and the ongoing lecturers’ strike as examples of the government failures.

“We need to have a change of guard so we can harness the existing human resources for faster social economic development,” the opposition leader said.

He challenged the government to honour the deal they signed with the doctors and have an obligation to stand by it.

“They made the bed, they should lie on it. Why should they promise mountains and insteaddeliver hell?” Raila posed.

The medics have vowed that the stalemate will only be resolved through the implementation of the 2013 Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The 2013 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed by the Government and the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) on June 27, 2013 stated a 300% pay hike to all medical practitioners.