Battle of egos: Counties accused of derailing progress in health sector
National
By
Ronald Kipruto
| Oct 03, 2025
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary-General Davji Atellah on Spice FM. [Screengrab]
County governments have been accused of stalling reforms in the health sector by failing to cooperate with medical unions and neglecting workers’ welfare.
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary-General Davji Atellah now says county leaders are playing “ego games” at the expense of people’s lives.
Speaking on Spice FM on Friday, October 3, Atellah singled out Kiambu County, where a health workers’ strike has stretched into its fourth month. He claimed Governor Kimani Wamatangi has ignored repeated calls for dialogue.
“The strike in Kiambu is about ego display of the governor and that of the chief officer…It’s about who will blink first because they have not paid salaries for seven months,” said Atellah, accusing the county of misleading the public that services are running normally.
READ MORE
Uncertainty as Rivatex fires 3000 employees
itel banks on AI-powered tech to increase market presence
Kenya Re extends MD's suspension
Explained: How telecom engineers keep you connected
Real estate developer feted for sustainable living solutions
Kenya Airways promotes sustainable aviation fuel, but can Africa go green?
Why traders selling fake goods risk 10-year jail term, Sh20m fine
Kenya firms boost own power plants as national capacity falls
Kenya's tourism grows to 2.4m visitors, but lagging behind Africa's giants
The SG also said he has the power to direct medics to withdraw their services, should an agreement not be reached.
“I have powers enshrined in the Constitution of Kenya and in the union’s constitution to handle labour matters and to direct doctors to withdraw their services from Kiambu County.”
The KMPDU Sec-Gen further faulted county governments for failing to enforce Collective Bargaining agreements and deliberately delaying salaries and promotions for medical staff.
“Even with policies meant to be implemented by all 47 governors, many choose not to. The fact that the delivery of standardised health care depends on the egos of 47 individuals shows there is a fundamental problem,” he said.
Should Health be devolved?
On health devolution, Atellah argued that counties should manage primary health facilities from level 2 hospitals to level 4, while the national government should take over higher-level facilities.
On Tuesday this week, the Health Union Caucus issued a seven-day ultimatum to county governments, warning of joint industrial action over what it called persistent injustices against healthcare workers. The unions highlighted unresolved concerns about the future of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff and ongoing grievances in Kiambu.
The warning came days after KMPDU instructed intern doctors in Kiambu to collect redeployment letters from the Ministry of Health starting September 29, citing the prolonged strike.
“As the strike in Kiambu is now in its fourth month with no end in sight, there is an urgent need to protect the sanctity of the internship, and it should not be affected by prolonged county strikes,” said Atellah.
He, however, lauded the Ministry of Health for engaging with unions more constructively than counties.
The Health Union Caucus brings together several unions, including the Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers, Kenya Union of Clinical Officers, KMPDU, Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union, Kenya National Union of Nutritionists and Dietitians, Kenya National Union of Pharmaceutical Technologists, and the Kenya Health Professional Society.