By Peter Ochieng
Azimio leaders led by Wiper party leader, Kalonzo Musyoka have put president William Ruto’s administration on notice, over the ongoing doctors strike and the fake fertiliser scam.
The leaders in a press conference on Tuesday said they will join the medics’ strike, if issues that caused the industrial action are not resolved.
Doctors have been on strike for about a month now, pushing for implementation of the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and posting of intern doctors among other issues.
Kalonzo said they are in consultation, and may join the strike if the government takes no action towards ending it.
“This regime is failing its citizens. We are consulting, and if they do not stop this strike we as Kenyans will be free to join, because the only language the government understands is to go on the streets,” said Musyoka.
He said the government should compensate farmers affected by the fake fertiliser scam. They also want Cabinet Secretaries for health (Susan Nakhumicha) and agriculture (Mithika Linturi) to resign.
“Failure by the Kenya Kwanza regime to immediately resolve the health crisis; compensate the farmers for their loss in the fake fertilizer scam; resignation of the Cabinet Secretaries for Health and Agriculture, we will not hesitate to join striking healthcare workers on the streets.”
DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa on his part called out Cabinet Secretary for internal security Kithure Konzolo, for moving to outlaw demos by the striking doctors.
“Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has outlawed the strike, meaning beginning tommorrow we might start seeing teargas. As Azimio, we are saying it is doctors’ constitutional right under Article 37 and if this government instead of addressing the root cause, is going to use teargas and force against the doctors, as Azimio we are ready to come out to stand with them.”
President William Ruto on Sunday said the wage bill cannot allow his administration to fully implement demands by doctors.
“It is important for us to agree that we must live within our means. We cannot continue to spend the money we do not have,” said the president.
He added that the country is spending Sh1.1 trillion of the Sh2.2 trillion collected as taxes every year, on payment of salaries and wages.
Doctors maintain that they will only go to work, after their demands have been met.