KMPDU blames Kiambu County for prolonged doctors’ strike, accuses Governor Wamatangi of illegal lockouts and endangering patients

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has blamed the Kiambu County Government for the prolonged doctors’ strike, accusing Governor Kimani Wamatangi of resorting to “illegal lockouts” and failing to engage in meaningful dialogue.

KMPDU Secretary-General Davji Atellah said the strike now in its fourth month remains legally protected by the courts after several failed attempts to resolve the dispute through proper channels.

“The county government has made the situation worse. We had a similar strike last year that ended with a return-to-work formula signed and adopted as a court order. This time, the county ignored it completely,” said Atellah in an interview on Tuesday, October 14.

He noted that doctors have gone for months without pay, faced delayed promotions, and been locked out of health facilities contrary to labor laws.

“You work for three months without pay. You wait for promotions that never come. And now, doctors have been locked out illegally as interns are forced to keep hospitals running,” he added.

Atellah accused the county of endangering patients by pretending operations are normal, despite glaring staff shortages and blocked referrals.

“We’ve received letters from doctors saying they can’t handle certain cases. Yet referrals are being denied to manage optics rather than save lives,” he said.

Governor Wamatangi has previously dismissed the union’s claims, accusing KMPDU of exaggerating figures to stir panic.

However, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has urged President William Ruto to personally intervene, warning that the county’s health system is on the verge of collapse.

“We are saddened that Kiambu has become a national headline for healthcare failure. Reports show over 100 children and several mothers have died in recent weeks not for lack of facilities, but because doctors have been forced to down their tools,” Ichung’wah said during a church service attended by the President.

The standoff between KMPDU and the county government has sparked outrage among residents and health advocates, with growing calls for urgent mediation to restore normal services in hospitals across Kiambu.