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Doctors' union officials jailed on Monday walked to freedom on Wednesday.

This was after lawyers for the Council of Governors and the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) agreed to have the medics released immediately to carry on with talks.

The released officials are KMPDU Chairman Samuel Oroko and Secretary-General Ouma Oluga. Others are Daisy Korir, Evelyne Chege, Allan Ochanji, Mwachonda Chibandzi and Titus Ondoro.

They had been locked up at Industrial Area and Lang'ata prisons in Nairobi for contempt after they called a national strike that entered its 73rd day today against labour court orders.

Negotiations aimed at ending the two-month doctors' job boycott will be jump-started on Thursday morning, the two parties agreed before the Court of Appeal.

They are expected to craft a return-to-work formula that will be presented in court on February 23, meaning doctors may have to give up the 2013 collective bargaining agreement they have been pushing their employer to effect.

The parties agreed to restart talks before a three-judge bench of Jamila Mohamed, Wanjiru Karanja and Hannah Okwengu in Nairobi on Wednesday.

The Council of Governors, through lawyer Eunice Lumallas, told the judges that they have reached the consent out of goodwill.

The bench approved and recorded the consent.

The court also allowed the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) to join the case and mandated it to lead the talks together with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR).

Here is a summary of the lawyers consent as presented to court:

1. Doctors' union chiefs to be released with immediate effect to continue with negotiations that will last seven days.

2. They will come to court with a comprehensive report on February 23 with a view to calling off the strike

3. LSK and KNCHR to lead the talks.

4.Matter to mentioned on February 23.

Cord leader Raila Odinga, who attended the session, said it was a shame for the government to have the union officials jailed.

He called on Kenyans to pick leaders who uphold human rights.

Doctors across the country burst into celebrations after the officials were released.

They had vowed to stay put and paralyse talks to break the stalemate until their colleagues, also known as the CBA 7, were set free.

The release of the doctors came as Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu and his PS Nicholas Muraguri clashed before the Senate Health committee on failed mediation talks to end the strike.

PS apologises to Cabinet secretary before House team.

The Nairobi Hospital and Mater among facilities that heeded KMA call.

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Jailed doctors walk to freedom - Daily Nation