The doctors’ strike in Kakamega County has now stretched into its third week, paralyzing services across public health facilities and drawing national attention to longstanding issues of neglect and injustice within the county’s healthcare system.
At the heart of the standoff are claims of seven years of stalled promotions, failure by the county government to remit statutory deductions, exploitative locum contracts paying a fraction of nationally agreed rates, and lack of medical insurance for health workers.
Speaking at the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Western Branch Annual General Meeting on Saturday, Secretary General Dr. Davji Bhimji Atellah described the Kakamega situation as “dire,” painting a grim picture of systemic failures.
“Doctors have not abandoned their duties out of choice but out of necessity,” he said.
The AGM, attended by doctors from Busia, Vihiga, Bungoma, and Kakamega, was a blend of celebration and frustration.
While other counties had made strides — converting contractual positions to permanent and pensionable terms — Kakamega remained a glaring exception.
“In Bungoma, there are pending issues. But in Kakamega, the situation is unacceptable,” Dr. Atellah stressed.
The striking doctors, supported by their colleagues across the region, vowed not to resume duties until their demands are met. Dr. Atellah’s message was unambiguous: “No more indignity. No more injustice. We shall not retreat.”
With the union’s Annual Delegates Conference on the horizon, KMPDU is poised to escalate pressure on county governments still dragging their feet on implementing the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
“The fight continues,” said Dr. Atellah, “for dignity, for justice, and for every doctor in this country.”
