Mombasa County Government has sacked 86 doctors including senior specialists.

Among those sacked is Kenya medical practitioners and dentists union (KMPDU) Secretary General Chibanzi Mwachonda.

In a letter sent to the County Chief officer medical services, County Chief officer public health and the CEO Coast general hospital by the County Secretary Jeizan Faruk, the doctors have been sacked for boycotting duty.

"Following the correspondence shared between the Department of Health and the County Public Service Board on the doctors strike, the Board, pursuant to Section 59 (1) (c) of the County Governments Act number 17 of 2012, hereby conveys its decision via Special Board meeting held on January 5, 2021 that all the doctors who have failed, refused and/or neglected to return to work be dismissed from county services as provided for under Section 44 (4) (a), (c) and (e) of the Employment Act 2007 which constitute justifiable or lawful grounds for the dismissal as highlighted in the Act," reads the letter.

Doctors from the county have been on strike since December 2 accusing the county government of giving turning a deaf ear towards their grievances.

This comes as ODM leader Raila Odinga called on the two levels of government to move with speed and resolve the existing stalemate in the health sector.

"Last Thursday, the country breathed a collective sigh of relief when health workers called off their strike after a return to work agreement signed by the ministry of health and KMPDU. The talks also included SRC and a representative from the Council of Governors. It is therefore shocking that hardly a week later, clinical offices are threatening to down their tolls again because the very same issues covered in the RTWF signed last week are not being implemented." reads a statement from Raila.

Adding “This is therefore a time we need all our health workers on duty or on standby, not on strike or being tossed around between the two levels of government.”