The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) is a trade union representing medical doctors in Kenya. On February 13, 2017, seven union officials were sentenced to one month in jail for their role in leading a two-month strike protesting poor working conditions. This action sparked criticism from the Kenyan opposition, which held the government responsible for the healthcare crisis.
In solidarity with the jailed union officials, private doctors announced a 48-hour strike starting on Wednesday. Subsequently, the Kenyan Court of Appeal ordered the release of the jailed union officials to facilitate negotiations.
This series of events underscored the tensions between healthcare workers and the government regarding working conditions and highlighted the role of unions in advocating for better conditions in Kenya’s healthcare sector.
