Doctors in Kwale County have downed their tools, demanding promotions, timely salaries and better working conditions from the county government.
The strike, which began on Monday, June 30, 2025, has paralysed health services in the region, with medics vowing not to return to work until their grievances are addressed.
The doctor who are members of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) says some health practitioners in the county have gone for more than a decade without a single promotion, despite their dedication and service.
“For many years, doctors have been working hard, giving our services, and the county government has not remunerated us. Because of this, we have been having delayed promotions and sometimes for over ten years from the time that we are supposed to be promoted,” one of the KMPDU officials said.
“Kwale County has decided that it will not value its doctors. It does not value the patients that these doctors serve,” another practitioner said, visibly frustrated.
The doctors also raised concerns over working without pay, without insurance, and under constant fear and pressure.
“Imagine you are scared for your life just because you are asking for your salary. We cannot live like this. And they expect you to go to work , huna pesa, huna insurance.”
Goons
During the protests, chaos erupted outside Msambweni County Referral Hospital when a gang of goons riding on motorbikes violently disrupted a press briefing the medics were holding. The group, armed with clubs and sticks, stormed the scene, forcing the doctors to scatter for safety.
In a shocking turn of events, the attackers locked the hospital gates, preventing any movement in and out of the facility. Witnesses and medics alike were stunned that police officers present during the incident stood by and did nothing to intervene or protect the health workers.
Leaders from the doctors’ union condemned the attack, accusing the Kwale County government of hiring the goons to intimidate striking medics. Coast branch KMPDU officials described the attack as a cowardly attempt to silence voices calling for justice.
“This is an act of intimidation meant to scare health workers from demanding their rights,” one of the KMPDU officials said.
