Premium
Union warns doctors will strike in Nakuru, Kajiado and Laikipia
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Davji Atellah addresses journalists during a press conference in Nairobi on April 26, 2025.
What you need to know:
- The dispute stems from commitments made after the 56-day doctors’ strike in early 2024.
- Harmonization of terms of service for doctors was also agreed upon but no timelines were given.
Medics in Nakuru, Kajiado and Laikipia have threatened to strike if the counties fail to implement a return-to-work deal signed in May 2024.
According to Dr Davji Atellah, the secretary general of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), the three counties had failed to fully honour the deal to end a strike last year and the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
"The three counties have failed to honour the implementation of the May 2024 return-to-work formula and CBA commitments and we have given them only three weeks to do so," Dr Atellah said during the KMPDU South Rift Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Nakuru.
"We commend the progress made particularly on arrears, internship placements, postgraduate training, promotions, and medical insurance. We acknowledge the Ministry of Health's renewed momentum under the new CS in resolving long-standing issues. However, we cannot ignore counties that continue to blatantly violate the agreement," he added.
"They have until May 24, to fully honour the return-to-work formula and CBA failure to which, doctors will proceed on strike. We will no longer wait for justice; we will enforce it," Dr Atellah warned.
The dispute stems from commitments made after the 56-day doctors’ strike in early 2024, which ended when the government signed the deal and CBA.
After the nearly two months strike, medics agreed with governors on payment of all arrears and medical insurance as there were 11 counties that did not have comprehensive medical covers for doctors.
Governors also agreed to release doctors for post-graduate training based on staffing needs, numbers and criteria of release and employment of doctors based on availability of resources and staffing norms.
They further agreed to engage the Treasury, within 90 days, to give doctors car loans and mortgages.
On promotion for doctors, governors assured that they were to be concluded by September 1,2024.
Harmonization of terms of service for doctors was also agreed upon but no timelines were given.
At the time the national government agreed to facilitate Sh3.5 billion to go to counties for payments within five years among other things.
However, KMPDU says delays in posting medical interns and other labour issues have remained a sticking point.
The three counties in particular have failed to implement most of the commitment made after last year's strike.
Newly appointed Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale recently pledged that the posting of medical interns would begin on July 1,2025.
Mr Duale said the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) would manage the process.
The assurance followed a meeting on April 10, between Duale and health union leaders, where both parties agreed to resolve doctors’ pay arrears and the intern posting issue within two weeks.