Kiambu County Begins Firing Striking Doctors Amid Health Crisis
The Kiambu County government has started firing doctors who joined a strike, blaming them for putting patients’ lives at risk by walking away from their duties.
On Wednesday, May 28, County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Health, Elias Maina, confirmed that some doctors who had stopped working the previous day had already been dismissed. He did not reveal the exact number of those affected.
“We’ve already begun taking action against those doctors who refused to show up for work,” said Maina. “We are currently conducting a headcount to identify all those who have absconded duty, and they will be replaced immediately with other professionals who are just as qualified.”
Maina also pointed out that the county has heavily invested in healthcare, with a significant portion of the Ksh8 billion annual county budget allocated to the health sector. He emphasized that such investment must come with responsibility and accountability from health workers.
Ahead of the doctors’ strike on Tuesday, the county government of Kiambu had tried to stop the industrial action by seeking a court order. However, this attempt was unsuccessful. As a result, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) gave the green light for doctors to proceed with the strike.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, KMPDU National Chairman, who was accompanied by Dr. James Githinji and Dr. Bill Muriuki, explained that the strike was not just about salaries but also about deeper frustrations. According to the union, Kiambu doctors have been facing numerous injustices, including unfair treatment by the county leadership.
“We are here to announce that the doctors’ strike in Kiambu County is ongoing, and it will continue because the county leadership has shown no interest in resolving the issues we raised,” said KMPDU Chair Mwachi.
In addition to salary concerns, the striking doctors accused the county government of delaying their promotions and firing some healthcare workers in an improper manner, without following legal procedures.
However, in a statement issued later, CEC Maina dismissed claims that the strike was due to unpaid salaries. He insisted that the Kiambu County government has been meeting all its financial commitments to medical staff without fail.
Maina also addressed a tragic case that emerged during the strike: the death of an infant in a public hospital in Kiambu. The child reportedly died due to lack of proper care during the doctors’ absence. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
The infant’s family said the baby had been brought to the hospital suffering from pneumonia complications but was allegedly not given appropriate medical attention. Additionally, the family claims they were denied an ambulance transfer to a better-equipped facility.
Before the strike began, KMPDU had issued advice to the public, urging that patients who were not in critical condition should be discharged from public hospitals and referred to medical facilities in nearby counties for care.
This ongoing standoff between Kiambu County and its health workers has thrown the local health system into crisis, with patients caught in the middle of a bitter disagreement that seems far from being resolved.
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