Developing story: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi confirmed dead in chopper crash
Doctors go after IG Koome over move to outlaw their strike
The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union members led by Secretary-General Davji Atela (centre).
Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) on Sunday, April 14, 2024, threatened to sue Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome over his move banning doctors from striking.
In a statement sent to media houses, KMPDU alongside the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Katiba Institute, the African Center for Open Governance (AFRICOG), the Institute for Social Accountability (TISA) and the Kenya Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) said that they will hold Mr Koome accountable in case any doctor is harmed during the striking period.
According to the four organisations, Mr Koome who had issued an early statement asking police commanders in the 47 counties to deal with the doctors firmly and decisively in accordance to the law as they had become a public nuisance due to noise inside hospitals to apologise or else they would take him to court.
“We thus demand that you retract the directive and apologise for it publicly by 6pm today, Sunday, April 14, 2024. In your retraction, you must also apologise for the violent attack by police on Dr Davji Atela which took place on February 27, 2024,” the statement read.
“If you disregard our demand by the specified time, we will initiate court proceedings against you. Based on the doctrine of command responsibility, we will seek orders holding you personally liable for harm caused by the police to the striking and picketing medics.
"We will also seek damages against you for the attack on Dr Atela,” the statement added.
The statement dismissed the Inspector General of Police on his move to ban the demonstrations saying that he lacked constitutional right to do so.
On Sunday morning the IG complained about the Ongoing strike saying that it had become a public nuisance because the medical practitioners were blowing whistles and vuvuzelas causing a lot of discomfort to patients.
He directed all police commanders in all 47 counties to deal with the picketing doctors firmly and in accordance with the law.
"We wish to caution all doctors to refrain from infringing on the rights of others while demonstrating and that their efforts to disrupt smooth operations of hospitals will not be tolerated," Mr Koome said.
Mr Koome accused a section of the officers for sleeping on major roads hence affecting the normal flow of traffic.
He also said that they had received information that members of the public who are non-medics are planning to join the ongoing strike but they will not be allowed.
“We wish to assure the public that our country is safe, and that the National Police Service (NPS) remains committed to maintaining law and order,” the statement read.
Already, the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya through Mr Kalonzo Musyoka who is a principal in the coalition said that if the doctors plight will not be arrested then opposition supporters would join in the strike.
