Kakamega doctors' strike enters day 20 as KMPDU vows to fight on

The doctors’ strike in Kakamega County has now stretched into its third week, with medics citing long-standing grievances over stalled career growth, unpaid deductions, and exploitative employment terms.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) continues to support their cause.

Speaking during the KMPDU Western Branch Annual General Meeting on Saturday, the union’s Secretary General, Dr. Davji Bhimji Atellah, described the crisis in Kakamega as "dire."

"Doctors have been off duty for 20 days—not because they lack dedication, but because they’ve endured seven years without promotions," Dr. Atellah stated.

"They’ve also faced withheld statutory deductions, unfair locum contracts paying less than a third of the agreed rates in the CBA, and are still without medical insurance."

The AGM, which brought together medical professionals from across the Western counties—Busia, Vihiga, Bungoma, and Kakamega—served as both a celebration of progress and a sounding board for persistent grievances.

While several counties recorded significant progress—such as the transition of doctors from contract terms to permanent and pensionable employment, along with improved working conditions—Kakamega remained a glaring outlier.

"In Bungoma, unresolved matters still linger," stated Dr. Atellah. "But in Kakamega, the crisis is far worse."

Doctors from the Western Branch voiced unwavering support for their colleagues still on strike.

Dr. Atellah emphasized, "Their stance was firm: they will no longer tolerate injustice or humiliation. The county must respond—and do so urgently."

With the union gearing up for its upcoming Annual Delegates Conference, its stance is firm: counties that have ignored Return-to-Work Formulas or failed to implement the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will be held accountable.

Dr. Atellah delivered a powerful rallying cry, affirming the union’s unwavering resolve: "We will not back down. We will not give in. Victory for doctors is within reach—and we shall achieve it together."