OTHAYA: Sep 23, 2026
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has signed a Recognition Agreement with Mwai Kibaki Referral Hospital (MKRH) in Othaya, marking a significant milestone in strengthening labour relations and advancing the welfare of doctors at the facility.
The agreement establishes a formal framework for engagement between the Union and hospital management, creating the foundation for negotiating and concluding a facility-specific Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) by December 2026.
For KMPDU, the signing represents an important transition from preliminary discussions to a structured process through which doctors’ concerns can be addressed, commitments tracked, and lasting solutions negotiated.
A Framework for Meaningful Labour Engagement
The Recognition Agreement provides the institutional foundation for KMPDU to formally represent doctors in negotiations with the hospital’s management. It also creates a pathway towards a CBA tailored to the employment conditions and professional needs of doctors serving at MKRH.
Working alongside the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Peter Muiruri, the Union has committed to advancing discussions on outstanding workforce concerns and ensuring that engagement produces tangible outcomes.
The priority is clear: establish practical solutions that improve doctors’ working conditions, strengthen professional stability, and support the hospital’s ability to deliver quality healthcare.
Transitioning Locum Doctors to Permanent and Pensionable Terms
One of the key issues addressed is the conversion of doctors currently serving on locum terms to Permanent and Pensionable (PnP) employment.
Hospital management has confirmed that the necessary documentation and alignment with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) are at an advanced stage.
KMPDU will continue working with the hospital to ensure that the process is completed by December 2026.
Secure employment is essential to building a stable and motivated medical workforce. Transitioning doctors from locum arrangements to PnP terms would provide greater employment security while supporting continuity of care and long-term workforce planning.
The Union will continue monitoring progress to ensure that the stated timelines translate into actual appointments.
Medical Insurance: Securing Reliable Cover for Doctors
Access to dependable medical insurance remains another priority in the engagement.
MKRH management is working towards securing private medical cover for doctors, with implementation expected within the next two months. In the interim, consultations with Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) are ongoing to establish arrangements that will ensure doctors have medical cover during the transition.
KMPDU recognizes that healthcare workers must also be able to access healthcare when they need it. Reliable medical insurance is an essential component of staff welfare and a necessary safeguard for those who dedicate their professional lives to caring for others.
The Union will continue engaging the hospital to ensure that interim arrangements and the proposed private cover deliver practical, dependable protection for members.
Strengthening Doctor Retention at MKRH
The engagement also addressed a broader challenge facing public healthcare facilities outside major urban centres: retaining qualified doctors.
Medical practitioners should not have to leave public hospitals simply because career opportunities, incentives, and professional benefits are concentrated in larger towns and cities.
For MKRH to attract and retain the workforce required to provide quality referral services, doctors must have clear career pathways, secure employment, and working conditions that support professional development.
KMPDU will therefore pursue the inclusion of appropriate additional benefits in the forthcoming CBA, with the aim of making MKRH a more attractive place for doctors to establish and develop their careers.
A stronger retention framework would benefit both healthcare workers and the communities that depend on the hospital for specialist and referral services.
The Next Milestone: A CBA by December 2026
With the Recognition Agreement signed, attention now turns to negotiating and concluding the facility-specific CBA by December 2026.
The negotiations will provide an opportunity to address the employment and welfare issues affecting doctors at MKRH within a formal framework.
For KMPDU, the success of this process will be measured not simply by the signing of documents, but by the extent to which negotiated commitments are implemented and improve the working lives of doctors.
The Union will continue engaging hospital management, tracking agreed actions, and holding the process to its intended timelines.
From Recognition to Results
The Recognition Agreement marks an important step forward, but it is the beginning of the work ahead.
KMPDU remains committed to securing the conversion of locum doctors to PnP terms, reliable medical insurance, stronger retention measures, and a CBA that responds to the realities faced by doctors at Mwai Kibaki Referral Hospital.
The objective is to build a more secure and supportive working environment for doctors while strengthening the hospital’s capacity to serve patients.
No doctor left behind. No promise without delivery.
In solidarity,
Dr. Davji Bhimji Atellah
Secretary General
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU)
