Doctors at MTRH Begin Strike Over Unresolved Grievances
Despite promises from the MTRH management, the issues have yet to be addressed adequately.

The Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital. Photo/MTRH.
By Joy Jeelagat
Doctors at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) have officially gone on strike, starting at 12:00 AM today.
This strike follows a 14-day notice issued to the hospital’s management on January 22, after the grievances raised by the medical professionals were not addressed.
Dr. Mercy Nabwire, the National Treasurer of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU), confirmed the strike, highlighting that the healthcare workers had no other option but to take action due to the management’s failure to resolve their concerns.
According to Dr. Kamonzi Mulei, the branch secretary of KMPDU for the North Rift region, the issues outlined in the doctors’ Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) have remained unresolved for an extended period.
Despite promises from the MTRH management, the issues have yet to be addressed adequately.
Mulei emphasized several key concerns, including unsatisfactory contract terms for doctors, the lack of benefits for permanent and pensionable staff, issues surrounding third-party deductions, and promotions without corresponding pay adjustments.
“There is an increase in contract doctors without permanent and pensionable employment. We also have doctors who received promotion letters in 2022, yet no changes were reflected in their pay slips,” Dr. Mulei stated.
A critical issue raised by the union representatives is the accumulation of four months’ worth of unpaid third-party deductions at MTRH, which includes loan repayments, pension contributions, and insurance deductions.
According to Mulei, this backlog has led to serious financial complications for the doctors, many of whom are now facing penalties such as listings on the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) and bank fines due to non-remitted payments.
“Currently, doctors are listed on the CRB and are being fined by banks because loan deductions appear on their pay slips, but are not being forwarded,” Mulei added, urging for an immediate resolution to avoid a worsening situation.
Dr. Nabwire also reiterated that no services would be provided at MTRH until the doctors’ grievances are resolved.
She called on government officials, including the local governor, Members of Parliament, and Members of the County Assembly, to urgently address the issue to avoid further disruption in healthcare services.
As the strike continues, MTRH patients face delays in medical services, with doctors remaining firm in their stance until the hospital management addresses their demands.