KMPDU warns of nationwide strike over delayed doctors' salary adjustments
via Tuko2 min read
The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union KMPDU has threatened industrial action, including a nationwide strike, against county governments for failing to implement doctors' adjusted basic salaries. The union states that despite nearly a decade since negotiations began and all legal and technical hurdles being cleared, the salary adjustments from the 2017-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement and the May 2024 Return-to-Work Formula have not been reflected in payslips. KMPDU secretary general Davji Atellah confirmed that a special payment code now exists in the government's HR system for processing these salaries across all 47 counties. The union has instructed its branch executive committees to scrutinize July 2026 payslips for compliance. Any county that fails to implement the adjusted rates or provide an arrears payment schedule will face immediate industrial and legal action, including contempt proceedings.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Tuko.
Nairobi City County has saved an estimated KSh 8.48 billion over the last two financial years by reducing its reliance on external law firms and strengthening its internal legal department. A report by the County Assembly鈥檚 Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, covering the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years, indicates that the county shifted more legal work to its in-house advocates. This move has substantially reduced legal costs and improved the management of court cases. The legal department also successfully negotiated down legal fees claimed by external law firms. During the review period, the county concluded 174 court cases, with 84 handled by internal lawyers, achieving a 56% success rate for in-house cases. Nairobi Governor Sakaja Johnson stated that this strategy of strengthening internal legal capacity will continue, allowing savings to be redirected towards service delivery and development projects.
The Kenyan Judiciary has affirmed that court operations are continuing normally across the country, with all judicial officers and staff on duty. This assurance comes despite a nationwide boycott announced by the Law Society of Kenya LSK on July 20. The Judiciary stated that all scheduled court processes and proceedings are proceeding as planned, sharing images and video clips of court proceedings from various stations including Milimani, Makadara, and Kisumu. They also reported that 54 cases were heard across nine benches in the Court of Appeal, with all counsel present. The LSK's boycott, which began on July 22, targets specific judges and judicial officers over alleged integrity issues and is set to continue indefinitely until court orders restraining investigations by the Judicial Service Commission, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations are lifted. LSK president Charles Kanjama named all six Supreme Court judges, including Chief Justice Martha Koome, among those to be avoided.
Residents of Chepkorio in Elgeyo Marakwet protested on July 21 against the government's planned fencing of the Kaptagat Forest ecosystem. They accused the government of proceeding without public participation and raised claims of bribery linked to the project. Protesters chanted "wantam" directed at President William Ruto, with one resident stating that bribery was behind the push to fence the forest. Another protester, Evance Kipkorir, alleged that the region had been sidelined in terms of development despite strong electoral support for Ruto in 2022, citing the transfer of Mashujaa Day celebrations from Elgeyo Marakwet to Eldoret as an example of deliberate marginalization. Residents indicated that the government's handling of the Kaptagat Forest dispute would influence their voting decisions in the 2027 General Election. Protesters also called on Democracy for Citizens Party DCP leader Rigathi Gachagua to intervene and champion dialogue regarding the proposed fencing, urging him to ensure community concerns are heard. The Kaptagat Forest, located in the Rift Valley, has been a point of contention between local communities and government agencies over conservation and land use, with residents concerned about their livelihoods and access to forest resources. In related news, some Kericho residents also threatened to withdraw support for Ruto ahead of the 2027 polls, citing alleged oppression and stalled projects.