The five-month doctors’ strike in Kiambu County has finally ended following a breakthrough agreement between the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) and the county government.
The deal was reached after a mediation process led by the Council of Governors (COG), which relieved thousands of residents who had endured months without adequate public healthcare services.
Speaking to the press on Friday, the COG Whip and Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki, who chaired the meeting, confirmed that both parties had agreed to a settlement that would see doctors resume work starting Monday next week.
Under the agreement, the county government committed to paying one month’s salary for the strike period and immediately releasing October salaries. Other pending payments will be cleared in installments.
Governor Njuki urged both sides to maintain open dialogue in the future, emphasizing the need for cooperation over confrontation.
Read More
“We call upon the county government and the union to embrace dialogue to ensure that the contentious issues are resolved as soon as possible so that service delivery in the health sector is uninterrupted,” he said.
The meeting also brought together COG Health Committee Chair and Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir, Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi, and KMPDU officials, including the union’s Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah.
Dr. Atellah confirmed the end of the more than 150-day strike that began on May 26, 2025.
“The strike that began on the 26th of May 2025 is hereby called off. I’m aware not all doctors are within their workstations, so we are asking them to start traveling back and resume duties on Monday,” he announced.
Governor Nassir, on his part, called for professionalism and the separation of politics from healthcare matters, addressing recent controversy surrounding claims that over 130 newborns had died during the strike.
“We must ensure politics stay out of our hospital wards and operating theatres. The reports about 136 babies dying are false. The Council of Governors, which keeps official records, can confirm this,” he said.
The doctors’ strike, which began over demands for better pay, improved working conditions, and delayed promotions, had severely disrupted services in public hospitals across Kiambu County.
Many patients were forced to seek medical attention in private facilities, straining household budgets and access to care.
At the beginning of October, Atellah called off the widely planned doctors’ peaceful protests to incorporate other means of resolving the issue.
“This adjustment is intended to ensure broader participation, effective coordination, and meaningful engagement with all relevant stakeholders as we continue to demand accountability and dignified working conditions for doctors, as well as quality healthcare for all Kenyans,” said Atellah.
The KMPDU Secretary General also reaffirmed the union’s commitment to defending the rights of healthcare workers, promising a quick resolution to their grievances.
“KMPDU remains unwavering in its commitment to defending the rights of healthcare workers and upholding the highest standards of service to the nation,” he added.
