The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) , Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives ( KNUNM) together with allied health unions, Kenya have called for a joint picketing action on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at Jeevanjee Gardens, Nairobi.
The move comes amid mounting frustrations over delayed salaries and unremitted third-party deductions, which workers say have left them financially crippled.
Speaking exclusively to KMB Media, KMPDU Nairobi Branch Secretary General Dr. Malindi Chao said the county’s persistent failure to honor its obligations has left healthcare workers struggling to survive.
“Our members have gone for months without salaries, and their statutory deductions have not been remitted. This is unacceptable and amounts to sheer neglect of workers who serve tirelessly in our health facilities,” Dr. Chao said.
The unions warn that the crisis is not only hurting the welfare of staff but is also threatening patient care.
“Doctors, nurses, clinical officers and other cadres cannot continue working under such harsh conditions. If the county government does not act, this will affect the right of Nairobians to access quality healthcare. We care about our patients and we want the county to resolve the stalemate ,” Dr. Malindi added.
Dr. Malindi said workers have resolved that unless their pay is released, they will withdraw services.
“We are calling on Governor Sakaja to resolve this crisis immediately. Healthcare workers are not beggars; we demand dignity, respect, and what is rightfully ours,” she emphasized.
Dr. Malindi , accused the county of subjecting medics to inhumane treatment despite their service.
“We continue to suffer under harsh conditions, forced to work without pay. Instead of being respected for our service, we are harassed in our workplaces,” she said, citing an incident at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital where staff were “treated like criminals a clear sign of the County’s disregard for our dignity and rights.” She added: “Enough is enough! We demand immediate payment of all pending salaries, respect at the workplace, and an end to intimidation. Health care workers deserve dignity, not harassment.”
The picketing, is expected to bring together hundreds of healthcare workers across Nairobi,
How We Got Here
The unfolding salary crisis for Nairobi County health workers is not new. It is the latest chapter in a long-running dispute over delayed salaries, unpaid statutory deductions, and broken promises on promotions and benefits. At the heart of the matter is the county’s failure to fully implement agreements reached after prolonged strikes and negotiations.
The February–March 2025 Strike
The most recent major confrontation began on 26 February 2025, when KMPDU issued a strike notice for Nairobi County doctors. The strike commenced on 27 February, with grievances including illegal salary stoppages and dismissals, chronic salary delays, stalled promotions, unpaid gratuities, and delayed confirmation letters.
For 39 days, services across 140 county hospitals and health centers were paralysed. Health workers pressed for nine specific demands.
The strike ended on 8 April 2025, after Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration signed a Return-to-Work Formula with KMPDU. Key commitments included:
- Reinstatement of all dismissed doctors
- Issuance of 369 permanent and pensionable appointment letters by May 1, 2025
- Payment of salary arrears, including long-standing dues at Mama Lucy Hospital
- Gratuity payments for doctors previously under Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) by July 2025
- Promotions and salary harmonisation for doctors in job groups S, Q, and R by mid-July 2025
Return-to-Work Formula and Unmet Promises
While the deal temporarily ended the strike, union meetings later revealed that little progress had been made. By May 2025, during the Nairobi Branch AGM, doctors warned that many promises were unfulfilled, sparking fears of renewed unrest.
National Context: A Wider Pattern
The Nairobi crisis mirrors a broader problem in Kenya’s devolved health system. In May 2024, KMPDU signed a national Return-to-Work Formula with the national government, county governments, and the Council of Governors. The deal covered intern pay, promotions, statutory deductions, and salary harmonisation.
But implementation has been inconsistent. Counties such as Nakuru, Laikipia, and Kajiado have also faced similar warnings from the union, underscoring systemic challenges in health financing.
Timeline of Key Events
- May 2024: National Return-to-Work Formula signed between KMPDU, national government, and counties.
- 26 February 2025: KMPDU issues strike notice for Nairobi County doctors.
- 27 February 2025: Strike begins, paralysing services across Nairobi’s 140 health facilities.
- 8 April 2025: Strike suspended after 39 days following Return-to-Work Formula with Nairobi County.
- May 2025: Nairobi Branch AGM reveals county has not fulfilled most promises.
- July 2025: Deadline for promotions and gratuity payments lapses without action.
- August–September 2025: Salary delays worsen, third-party deductions unpaid.
- 2 October 2025: Nairobi health workers set to picket Jeevanjee Gardens over unpaid salaries and deductions.
The grievances raised by Dr. Chao and her colleagues ahead of Thursday’s protest echo the very issues that drove the February–March strike: salary arrears, unremitted deductions, and failed promotions.
With the cost of living in Nairobi soaring, the impact has been severe. Doctors have reported evictions, denied medical cover, and relentless pressure from banks over unpaid loans.
Thursday’s picketing will be the first time in Nairobi that doctors, nurses, Clinical officers , pharmacists, nutritionists, laboratory technologists, and other cadres of healthcare workers take to the streets in a coordinated protest. The joint action underscores the depth of frustration across the sector and will place renewed pressure on the Nairobi County Government to honor its commitments.
