IG Koome issues new stance on doctors’ strike
Police IG Japheth Koome denies directing commanders to clamp down on doctors' strike
Police IG Japheth Koome denies directing commanders to clamp down on doctors’ strike
Inspector General of Police, Japhet Koome on Wednesday dismissed reports of having expressly directed police commanders to clamp down on striking doctors participating in the nationwide strike.
Speaking in an interview, Koome stated that the constitution guaranteed the freedom for Kenyans to demonstrate.
However, IG Koome said that the obstruction of services by the striking health workers was the only thing that contravened the law.
“In my statement to the press, there is nowhere I talked about stopping it; that’s the right of every Kenyan,” IG Koome clarified.
The IG noted that the demonstrations were inconveniencing many people including other doctors who were willing to continue with their jobs and thus there was a need to control it but not stop it.
Koome further stated that the police service was at an advanced stage of designating areas to allow the striking doctors to protest freely to ensure minimal disruption of services.
“If there are doctors lying on the streets, I will remove them; the officers will remove them,” Koome stated.
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“So that those doctors lying on the highways on the streets are not infringing on the rights of others,” he added.
On April 14, the IG issued a directive to police commanders in all counties directing them to deal with situations of disruption of services firmly and decisively.
According to Koome, the striking doctors had become a public nuisance, blowing whistles and vuvuzelas during the protests and causing discomfort to patients.
The IG also revealed that police would also deal with non-medics who participate in the strike and disrupt public peace.
“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,” he stated.
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