WIN FOR DOCTORS AS GOVERNMENT RELEASES 7-YEAR ARREARS

The national government has finally released KES 3.5 billion in long-delayed salary arrears owed to doctors, settling a dispute that dates back seven years.
According to the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), the funds—covering the period 2017 to 2024—have already been credited to doctors’ accounts. The payment fulfils the terms of the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement and the May 2024 Return-to-Work Agreement, which ended a nationwide doctors’ strike earlier this year.
KMPDU hailed the release as a “major victory” for its members, saying it eases the financial strain on medical professionals who have waited years for the government to honour the agreement.
The union, however, urged authorities to move quickly on other outstanding issues, including promotions, medical cover and the hiring of at least 2,000 more doctors, to prevent a repeat of prolonged industrial unrest.
Government officials said the payout demonstrates their commitment to improving the welfare of health workers and sustaining industrial harmony in the sector.