🇰🇪 Doctors nationwide strike in Kenya enters seventh day
Doctors at Kenya’s public hospitals have entered the seventh day of a nationwide strike, accusing the government of failing to implement a raft of promises from a collective bargaining agreement signed in 2017 after a 100-day strike that saw people dying from lack of care.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union said they went on strike to demand comprehensive medical cover for the doctors and because the government has yet to post 1,200 medical interns.
Leaders of the union say 4,000 doctors are taking part in the strike despite a labor court order asking the union to put the strike on hold to allow talks with the government.
Doctors union leaders say they would disregard the court order the same way the government had disregarded three court orders to increase basic pay for doctors and reinstate suspended doctors.
#Kenya
@africaintel
@africaintel
Doctors at Kenya’s public hospitals have entered the seventh day of a nationwide strike, accusing the government of failing to implement a raft of promises from a collective bargaining agreement signed in 2017 after a 100-day strike that saw people dying from lack of care.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union said they went on strike to demand comprehensive medical cover for the doctors and because the government has yet to post 1,200 medical interns.
Leaders of the union say 4,000 doctors are taking part in the strike despite a labor court order asking the union to put the strike on hold to allow talks with the government.
Doctors union leaders say they would disregard the court order the same way the government had disregarded three court orders to increase basic pay for doctors and reinstate suspended doctors.
#Kenya
@africaintel
@africaintel
🇰🇪 Section of Nairobi airport closed after 'small fire'
A section of Kenya's main airport has been closed temporarily after a fire incident.
An electrical fault caused the "small fire" incident at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport's Terminal 1E on Monday morning, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) said.
“The situation was quickly contained, with no injuries or casualties resulting from the incident."
Power to the terminal has been temporarily shut off as a precautionary measure and all flight arrival operations redirected to Terminal 1A, KAA said.
The incident caused panic as passengers and staff were evacuated from the affected area.
#Kenya
@africaintel
A section of Kenya's main airport has been closed temporarily after a fire incident.
An electrical fault caused the "small fire" incident at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport's Terminal 1E on Monday morning, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) said.
“The situation was quickly contained, with no injuries or casualties resulting from the incident."
Power to the terminal has been temporarily shut off as a precautionary measure and all flight arrival operations redirected to Terminal 1A, KAA said.
The incident caused panic as passengers and staff were evacuated from the affected area.
#Kenya
@africaintel
🇰🇪 Police officer among Kenya bomb attack victims
A governor in Kenya's north-east region has condemned a "heinous terrorist attack" on an eatery that reportedly killed at least three people, including a police officer.
Mandera County governor Mohamed Adan Khalif posted pictures of a razed building to social media platform X on Wednesday. He said he condemned "in the strongest terms" the attack in Mandera town, which is on the border with Somalia.
The eatery was located near a police station and an officer was among those killed, local media has reported.
According to the Associated Press news agency, investigators have blamed Islamist militant group al-Shabab for the blast, which they say was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED).
#Kenya
@africaintel
A governor in Kenya's north-east region has condemned a "heinous terrorist attack" on an eatery that reportedly killed at least three people, including a police officer.
Mandera County governor Mohamed Adan Khalif posted pictures of a razed building to social media platform X on Wednesday. He said he condemned "in the strongest terms" the attack in Mandera town, which is on the border with Somalia.
The eatery was located near a police station and an officer was among those killed, local media has reported.
According to the Associated Press news agency, investigators have blamed Islamist militant group al-Shabab for the blast, which they say was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED).
#Kenya
@africaintel
🇰🇪 Kenya Airways swings to first operating profit since 2017
Kenya Airways swung to an operating profit of 10.53 billion shillings ($80.38 million) last year, it said.
One of Africa's three biggest carriers, Kenya Airways slid into insolvency in 2018 after an expansion drive left it with hundreds of millions of dollars in debt.
Last year's operating profit was the airline's first since 2017, it said, buoyed by a 53% increase in revenue to 178.5 billion shillings.
"It is an indication that we are well on our path to recovery," CEO Allan Kilavuka told.
The revenue growth was underpinned by a 35% increase in passenger numbers, he said, adding that it will increase flights on popular routes such as Nairobi to London and secure new planes to take advantage of that momentum in demand.
#Kenya
@africaintel
Kenya Airways swung to an operating profit of 10.53 billion shillings ($80.38 million) last year, it said.
One of Africa's three biggest carriers, Kenya Airways slid into insolvency in 2018 after an expansion drive left it with hundreds of millions of dollars in debt.
Last year's operating profit was the airline's first since 2017, it said, buoyed by a 53% increase in revenue to 178.5 billion shillings.
"It is an indication that we are well on our path to recovery," CEO Allan Kilavuka told.
The revenue growth was underpinned by a 35% increase in passenger numbers, he said, adding that it will increase flights on popular routes such as Nairobi to London and secure new planes to take advantage of that momentum in demand.
#Kenya
@africaintel
🇰🇪 Kenya starts to hand over to relatives the bodies of 429 members of a doomsday cult
Kenya's government on Tuesday began handing over to relatives the bodies of 429 members of a doomsday cult at the centre of a legal case that has shocked the country.
Exhumed bodies from a vast rural area in coastal Kenya have shown signs of starvation and strangulation. Cult leader Paul Mackenzie is accused of asking his followers to starve themselves to death to meet Jesus and now faces charges that include murder.
Authorities are using DNA testing to help identify bodies and their families. On Tuesday, the first bodies were handed over to relatives.
Some outraged Kenyans have asked how authorities didn't notice any sign of the mass deaths much earlier.
#Kenya
@africaintel
Kenya's government on Tuesday began handing over to relatives the bodies of 429 members of a doomsday cult at the centre of a legal case that has shocked the country.
Exhumed bodies from a vast rural area in coastal Kenya have shown signs of starvation and strangulation. Cult leader Paul Mackenzie is accused of asking his followers to starve themselves to death to meet Jesus and now faces charges that include murder.
Authorities are using DNA testing to help identify bodies and their families. On Tuesday, the first bodies were handed over to relatives.
Some outraged Kenyans have asked how authorities didn't notice any sign of the mass deaths much earlier.
#Kenya
@africaintel
🇰🇪🇺🇬 Kenya and Uganda resolve oil import row, Uganda says
Kenya will allow landlocked Uganda's state oil firm to import petroleum products through its port of Mombasa, Uganda's energy ministry confirmed on Thursday, to end a row between the two neighbours.
Uganda has been seeking alternative ways of importing petroleum products, including through a Tanzanian port, after its oil retailers for decades received their cargo through affiliated firms in Kenya.
Solomon Muyita, spokesperson for Uganda's ministry of energy and minerals, said the first shipment under the new system was expected in May.
"Kenya has agreed to give us a licence, UNOC (Uganda National Oil Company) is now free to import through Mombasa," he said.
The Business Daily newspaper, which first reported the news, quoted Kenyan Energy Minister Davis Chirchir as saying UNOC would use the Kenya Pipeline Company to move the products, meaning that Kenya would still benefit from the arrangement.
#Kenya #Uganda
@africaintel
Kenya will allow landlocked Uganda's state oil firm to import petroleum products through its port of Mombasa, Uganda's energy ministry confirmed on Thursday, to end a row between the two neighbours.
Uganda has been seeking alternative ways of importing petroleum products, including through a Tanzanian port, after its oil retailers for decades received their cargo through affiliated firms in Kenya.
Solomon Muyita, spokesperson for Uganda's ministry of energy and minerals, said the first shipment under the new system was expected in May.
"Kenya has agreed to give us a licence, UNOC (Uganda National Oil Company) is now free to import through Mombasa," he said.
The Business Daily newspaper, which first reported the news, quoted Kenyan Energy Minister Davis Chirchir as saying UNOC would use the Kenya Pipeline Company to move the products, meaning that Kenya would still benefit from the arrangement.
#Kenya #Uganda
@africaintel
🇪🇹🇰🇪 Ethiopia mulls using Lamu port to import fertiliser
Ethiopia is exploring the possibility of using Lamu port to import fertiliser as part of an effort to expand its port destinations beyond Djibouti, which handles the bulk of its cargo.
Even though the idea to use Lamu was proposed years ago, it has not been used up to this point.
A delegation from Ethiopia has conducted a fact-finding mission on Lamu and Mombasa ports and is optimistic that they will be able to strike a deal with Kenya.
Ethiopian state Minister of Ministry of Transport and Logistics, Denge Boru stated, “The delegation has visited the port and road conditions up to Moyale, whether or not it is suitable for the operation.”
#Ethiopia #Kenya
@africaintel
Ethiopia is exploring the possibility of using Lamu port to import fertiliser as part of an effort to expand its port destinations beyond Djibouti, which handles the bulk of its cargo.
Even though the idea to use Lamu was proposed years ago, it has not been used up to this point.
A delegation from Ethiopia has conducted a fact-finding mission on Lamu and Mombasa ports and is optimistic that they will be able to strike a deal with Kenya.
Ethiopian state Minister of Ministry of Transport and Logistics, Denge Boru stated, “The delegation has visited the port and road conditions up to Moyale, whether or not it is suitable for the operation.”
#Ethiopia #Kenya
@africaintel
🇰🇪 Kenyan hospital to dispose unclaimed bodies of 475 babies
Kenya's largest public referral hospital has announced that it will dispose hundreds of unclaimed bodies currently at its morgue if family members will not collect them.
"Interested members of the public are therefore requested to identify and collect the bodies within seven days, failure to which the hospital will seek authority from the courts to dispose of them," the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) said.
The 541 bodies include 475 babies and 66 adults.
The hospital published the names of the deceased, but the identities of a few of the bodies are unknown.
KNH and other public hospitals and morgues in Kenya frequently issue notices for relatives to collect unclaimed bodies.
Bodies that remain uncollected after the grace period are often buried in mass graves.
#Kenya
@africaintel
Kenya's largest public referral hospital has announced that it will dispose hundreds of unclaimed bodies currently at its morgue if family members will not collect them.
"Interested members of the public are therefore requested to identify and collect the bodies within seven days, failure to which the hospital will seek authority from the courts to dispose of them," the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) said.
The 541 bodies include 475 babies and 66 adults.
The hospital published the names of the deceased, but the identities of a few of the bodies are unknown.
KNH and other public hospitals and morgues in Kenya frequently issue notices for relatives to collect unclaimed bodies.
Bodies that remain uncollected after the grace period are often buried in mass graves.
#Kenya
@africaintel
🇰🇪 Kenyan doctors strike over pay and training extends into third week
Kenyan public hospital doctors who have been on strike since last month convened in two major cities on Tuesday to discuss their grievances against the government.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), which represents over 7,000 members, went on strike on March 15 to demand payment of their salary arrears and the immediate hiring of trainee doctors.
The arrears arose from a 2017 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the union said. Doctors are also demanding the provision of adequate medical insurance cover for themselves and their dependants.
It also wants the government to address frequent delays of salaries and to start paying doctors who work in public hospitals as part of their higher degree courses.
The minister of health Susan Nakhumicha has said the government cannot afford to hire the trainee doctors due to financial pressure on the public kitty.
#Kenya
@africaintel
Kenyan public hospital doctors who have been on strike since last month convened in two major cities on Tuesday to discuss their grievances against the government.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), which represents over 7,000 members, went on strike on March 15 to demand payment of their salary arrears and the immediate hiring of trainee doctors.
The arrears arose from a 2017 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the union said. Doctors are also demanding the provision of adequate medical insurance cover for themselves and their dependants.
It also wants the government to address frequent delays of salaries and to start paying doctors who work in public hospitals as part of their higher degree courses.
The minister of health Susan Nakhumicha has said the government cannot afford to hire the trainee doctors due to financial pressure on the public kitty.
#Kenya
@africaintel
🇰🇪 Kenyan doctors reject government offer to end strike
Kenyan doctors working in public hospitals have rejected a government offer aimed at ending a weeks-long strike that has hampered health services.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) went on strike on 14 March over the non-payment of salary arrears, delays by the government to deploy medical interns and other grievances.
Late on Tuesday, the government asked the doctors to end their strike, saying the salary arrears have been paid and that trainee doctors would be hired from Thursday this week.
"We decline these proposals in total," KMPDU chairman Abidan Mwachi said.
He said the government's offer does not "honour" a collective bargaining agreement that was signed in 2017, when a separate doctors' strike lasted for three months.
#Kenya
@africaintel
Kenyan doctors working in public hospitals have rejected a government offer aimed at ending a weeks-long strike that has hampered health services.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) went on strike on 14 March over the non-payment of salary arrears, delays by the government to deploy medical interns and other grievances.
Late on Tuesday, the government asked the doctors to end their strike, saying the salary arrears have been paid and that trainee doctors would be hired from Thursday this week.
"We decline these proposals in total," KMPDU chairman Abidan Mwachi said.
He said the government's offer does not "honour" a collective bargaining agreement that was signed in 2017, when a separate doctors' strike lasted for three months.
#Kenya
@africaintel