- Kenya Union of Doctors want Anne Waiguru to be arrested
- Doctors in the country have been on strike
- Union bosses claim she cannot solve the issues doctors are facing
On Tuesday, the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) called for Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru to be held in contempt of court for failing to reinstate 49 clinical officers, despite a court ruling mandating their return to work.
Led by Chairman Peterson Wachira and Secretary General George Gibore, the union demanded the Governor’s arrest for disregarding the court orders.
This comes after two court orders and directives from the Public Service Commission (PSC) instructed Waiguru to reinstate the officers, who had been dismissed.
Gibore emphasized that this was the third time the union had raised the issue, stressing that no court orders had been issued to stay the previous rulings enforcing the PSC’s decision to reinstate the dismissed officers.
Union Chair Wachira urged Governor Waiguru to address the matter swiftly, warning that the county’s health services would be severely affected if the Governor continued to defy the court’s orders.
He noted that Waiguru had managed to keep the officers out of work for six years, but with the completion of her two terms, she needed to comply with the court ruling.
The union also threatened to go on strike next Monday if their demands were not met, with Wachira accusing the Governor of using delay tactics.
He claimed that the Governor only appeared willing to resolve the issue during strike action, but once the protests ended, she would backtrack on her promises.
The 49 clinical officers were among 200 healthcare workers from Kerugoya Referral Hospital, Kimbimbi, Kianyaga, Sagana, and other health centers, who were dismissed in 2019 after demanding payment for unpaid salaries accumulated over several months.
This followed a prolonged strike that led to the Governor’s decision to fire them. Despite efforts from the union, the courts, and the PSC, the officers remain dismissed six years later.
In April 2024, the council of Governors Health Committee chairman, Muthomi Njuki, said some of the doctors’ demands were “unreasonable” and “difficult to implement”.
This is after one public hospital in the city announced last week that it was laying off more than 100 doctors participating in the strike. But up to now the health workers have vowed to stay put.
