The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) has launched an attack on the Council of Governors (CoG), accusing it of a “callous and contemptuous” response to the deaths of 131 newborns in Kiambu County amid a protracted doctors’ strike.
In a statement issued on October 6, the union condemned the CoG, chaired by Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, for downplaying the crisis and misrepresenting the tragic deaths as “pure mischief” and “false publication.”
“Governors in high towers, while mothers mourn in silence,” read the KMPDU release.
“One life lost is one too many. The death of 131 newborns is not a rounding error. It is a tragedy, and your denial is a disgrace.”
The statement follows claims by the CoG that healthcare services in Kiambu remain operational and that doctors are on duty, despite a crippling four-month strike that has paralyzed medical services across county hospitals.
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KMPDU 4 Demands
KMPDU, led by Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah, outlined four urgent demands in response to the crisis:
- Immediate Apology and Retraction
The union is calling for a formal apology and full retraction from the CoG over its statements denying the scale of the tragedy.
- Independent Public Inquiry
KMPDU is demanding a transparent and credible public investigation into the circumstances surrounding the 131 neonatal deaths.
- Resignation or Dissolution of Kiambu Leadership
The union wants Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi to resign or his administration to be dissolved, citing “gross failure and criminal negligence.”
- Urgent Dialogue to Restore Services
The union is urging immediate, good-faith negotiations between county governments and healthcare workers to end the ongoing strike and prevent further loss of life.
“Patients have suffered for 131 days. Hospitals are not healing centers anymore, they are morgues,” said Dr. Atellah.
“You cannot politic away death certificates. You cannot gaslight grief.”
Looming National Strike
Frustrated by continued inaction at the county level, the KMPDU has announced plans for a nationwide doctors’ strike, set to begin on October 25, 2025.
“This is not just a Kiambu problem, it is a Kenyan problem,” Atellah declared.
“Doctors across the country will stand in solidarity. We will not allow impunity to bury both truth and children.”
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Governors Accused of Hypocrisy
The union also lashed out at the double standards of Kenya’s 47 governors, accusing them of hypocrisy for accessing private or overseas healthcare while ordinary citizens are left to suffer in collapsing public hospitals.
“You fly out for minor bruises while mothers bury their babies at home,” the statement read.
“This duality is grotesque.”
KMPDU says it has credible documentation supporting the figure of 131 neonatal deaths during the ongoing strike in Kiambu, and warned that attempts to discredit or downplay the tragedy amount to an “unforgivable insult” to grieving families.
The union further called on President William Ruto to intervene, including considering the dissolution of the Kiambu County Government if accountability continues to be evaded.
“Lives are not negotiable. Healthcare is not a PR issue,” Atellah stated.
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