We note with concern the inflammatory statement issued by the Inspector General of Police; terming the ongoing strike by Doctors and Clinical Officers as a public nuisance and instructing his officers to “deal with such situations firmly and decisively”. We condemn the ill-advised, distasteful statement, and the Law Society shall oppose such blatant threats, reckless outbursts, and illegal directives to the full extent of the sovereign power of our Constitution and the People of Kenya.
The sustained, targeted attacks against Doctors exercising their right to demonstrate enshrined under Article 37 of the Constitution is unjustifiable and illegal. The shocking use of force against peaceful protestors and hiring of goons to interfere with protests is a breach of our democracy and constitutionalism as a nation. The role of the Police is to provide security and ensure the safety of the public, whether protestors or otherwise. In that regard, any action against protestors must be proportional to the breach of peace caused, if at all. The suggestion by the IG that the use of vuvuzelas and whistles is a breach of peace requiring "firm action" is untenable.
We remind the IG that his foremost duty under section 8A of the National Police Service Act is to ensure discipline of the Service. The connotation of his statement today is that he has invited his officers to violate the rights of doctors under the guise of firm action against a lawful demonstration. Should any unreasonable use of force be metted against doctors, we will take legal action to find the Inspector General personally liable for anything done on account of this directive, and also ensure that individual Officers found culpable for using unreasonable force against doctors are held personally liable.
Faith Mony Odhiambo
POLSK
Pumwani Hospital should be upgraded to a National Referral Maternity Hospital managed by the National Govt.
When Nairobians are done with the theatrical entertainment from their governor, let us discuss soberly. #PumwaniHospital@FirstLadyKenya@SicilyKariuki@KenyaGovernors
1. One more time Pumwani hospital faces public mobbing, led by it's very own governor😞😞😞. He suspends his foot soldiers instead of his 'advisors'. What happened to facts? The press has joined in the lynching @KTNNews@ntvkenya@KTNKenya
KMPDU POLL:
Should the Government import Doctors from Cuba to strengthen the health system or should they make use of the workforce in the country?
The government should consider the more than 1,200 Kenyan doctors currently unemployed since May 2017 #EmployKenyanDoctors