Doctor's hold ground and set to hold peaceful march

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) is set to hold a peaceful march in response to the ongoing doctors’ nationwide strike. In a letter directed to Nairobi Regional Police Commander Adamson Bungei, KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah has requested police support for the planned procession scheduled for Tuesday.

The march will begin at Kenyatta National Hospital, proceed to the Ministry of Health, Council of Governors, and conclude at the National Treasury. This development follows closely on the heels of recent remarks made by Inspector General of Police, Japhet Koome, who expressed concerns regarding the strike actions and processions orchestrated by medical professionals.

Koome’s assertions labelled these activities as a potential public nuisance and raised questions about their adherence to legal protocols. “The medics have become a public nuisance, blowing whistles and vuvuzelas during the demonstrations thus causing discomfort to patients in hospitals and general public,” a statement from the IG on Sunday detailed.

In a bold move, doctors, along with the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Katiba Institute (KI), and Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), have united to counter Inspector General Koome’s remarks. They jointly called for Koome to retract his statement and issue an apology by 6 pm on Sunday, April 14.