Postgraduate and undergraduate students at the Moi University College of Health Sciences have a reason to smile.
This is after the Kenya Medical Practitioners, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) reached an agreement with the university to end their 77-day strike.
The strike had paralyzed learning for medical students, some services at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) as well as multiple donor-funded research.
But following a meeting convened by the Ministry of Education led by Principal Secretary Amb. Simon Nabuchesi, Moi University, and KMPDU have come to an agreement that almost Ksh240 million be paid immediately to the doctor-lecturers.
According to the PS, the unpaid two months’ salaries, for the month of December and January must also be paid immediately.
The meeting also agreed that all the disciplinary proceedings that Moi University had set in motion against the lecturers and union officials be withdrawn.
The university had written show course letters to the striking lecturers, a move KMPDU termed as intimidatory tactics.
It was agreed that the doctor-lecturers will resume teaching once they receive their salaries and the unpaid allowances they have been demanding for.
“The University recognized the Union – KMPDU as the representative of the doctors in Health Sciences. This is a greater step for having that these doctors have CBA that will protect all their issues,” Dr. Davji Atella, the KMPDU chairperson said.
“We would like to thank the national government and Amb. Nabuchesi for coming to help this agreement between doctors of Moi University and their leaders,” added Dr. Darwin Ambuga, KMPDU Chairperson North Rift branch.
Dr. Ambuga said that they hope there will not be such a strike in the future and apologized to the students who were affected as a result of the lengthy strike.
With the agreement reached, the students are expecting to resume their studies as soon as possible.
