Doctors stage protests in Kiambu over county’s health crisis
By Clement Kamau, October 13, 2025The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) held demonstrations in Kiambu on Monday, October 13, 2025, to protest against the ongoing healthcare crisis in the county.
The industrial action was organised by the union through its Secretary-General, Dr. Davji Atellah, who was present at the demonstration to pressure Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi to meet doctors’ demands.
This comes after Kiambu County management denied reports of the doctors’ boycott, insisting hospitals are operating normally.
The strike, now in its 138th day, has been triggered by issues such as poor working conditions, with doctors demanding that these be improved.
They have cited hostile and unsafe working environments, with some claiming that snakes occasionally slither into certain health facilities in Juja and Ruiru.
“We work in unsafe environments where snakes, which hide in uncleared grass and bushes around our workstations, freely slither in and find us as we work,” said one doctor who requested anonymity.
Also watch: Kiambu Denies Child Death Claims, Assures Strong Health Services.
The doctors have also complained of delayed payments, saying they hardly receive their salaries on time, which inconveniences their financial plans.
At the same time, they say hospitals are severely understaffed, leading to increased workloads and reduced quality of care.
The most contentious issue is the claim that over 136 newborns have died as a result of the healthcare crisis, although the Council of Governors and the county government have disputed this figure.
The demonstration caused a major traffic snarl-up, with businesses in Kiambu town remaining closed for the better part of the day.
The Council of Governors has since convened a meeting to address the crisis and engage with the Kiambu County Executive Committee Member for Health.
Governor Wamatangi has stood firm, maintaining that he cannot hold dialogue with doctors who are “relaxing at home at the expense of patients.”
He insists that all medical facilities in the county are operational and that only a few doctors are participating in the strike.
“We have replaced doctors who have been on strike. We cannot pay people who are not working,” Wamatangi said recently.