Religious leaders have now taken over mediation efforts to resolve the three-month strike by doctors in the public health sector.
The Court of Appeal heard today that the outstanding issues are mainly salaries and training opportunities for the medics, which can be thrashed out in two days.
The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya undertook to strike a deal between the doctors, the Health ministry and Council of Governors following failure by mediators John Ohaga and Kagwiria Mbogori, representing the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHCR), to reconcile the parties.
The new team comprises Adan Wachu (Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims), Bishop Alfred Rotich (Catholic Church), Bishop Jackson Ole Sapit (Anglican Church) and Rev Julius Mwamba of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA).
Appellate Judges Martha Koome, G.B.M. Kariuki and Jamila Mohamed allowed the parties to negotiate an out-of-court settlement. The matter will be mentioned before the court on March 7.
Last week, lawyer Geoffrey Obura, who is representing the LSK, had given the court a confidential progress report and applied for more time to allow the mediators to conclude contentious issues. The court had ordered the unconditional release from prison of seven unionists who were found guilty by Employment and Labour Relations Judge Hellen Wasilwa of disobeying orders to call off the strike.