NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 7 – Former Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha has defended her handling of the nationwide doctors’ strike that occurred during her tenure, stating that industrial actions in the health sector are not new and should not be blamed solely on her leadership.
Speaking before the National Assembly Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations during her vetting for the role of Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the UN-Habitat, Nakhumicha dismissed claims that the strike was a key reason behind her dismissal from the Ministry of Health.
“Industrial action and workers agitating for their rights is not a phenomenon that started with me it has existed long before my tenure,” she told the committee.
She cited a history of doctors’ strikes dating back to the 1960s, including one in 1966 under President Jomo Kenyatta and then Health Minister Mwai Kibaki, a 1982 strike under President Moi and Minister Arthur Magugu, and a three week strike during President Kibaki’s administration.
“During President Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure, we witnessed two major strikesthe most significant being in 2017, where doctors downed their tools for 100 days demanding better remuneration,” she stated.
According to Nakhumicha, the strike she was forced to manage was not a result of new demands but stemmed from the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed under former Health CS Dr. Cleopa Mailu.
“The doctors’ strike was not a Nakhumicha instrument. I inherited instruments of the CBA of 2017 and the budgets that had been made prior to its implementation,” the nominee said.
She noted that doctors had raised 13 issues, some of which were non-monetary and others monetary and with the government facing a cash crisis,the monetary ones were not resolved.
A return-to-work formula was signed, but two critical issues remained unresolved including the payment of medical interns.
Nakhumicha explained that while Sh5.8 billion was required to meet the intern payment obligations, only Sh4.2 billion had been allocated in the budget.
“We kept looking for all options, including the SRC, to look into the matter,” she said.
She further stated that she did her best to manage the situation, which lasted 56 days, emphasizing that the nurses did not go on strike during that period.
“I take the blame for that strike, and the blame I take is having wanted to take a permanent solution,”
“To the best of my knowledge, I did the very best to manage the doctors’ strike. The services were strained but there were no catastrophic losses,”Nakhumicha noted.
During her tenure as Health CS, Nakhumicha faced significant challenges, notably a nationwide doctors’ strike that began in mid-March 2024. The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) initiated the strike, demanding better pay, the hiring of medical interns, and improved working conditions. The strike severely disrupted health services across the country.   
Nakhumicha stated that the Ministry of Health lacked the necessary funds to meet some of the doctors’ demands, particularly the hiring of medical interns, due to financial constraints.
She also warned that striking doctors would not receive their salaries during the period they failed to report to work. 
The strike persisted for several weeks, leading to significant strain on the public healthcare system.
Opposition leaders criticized Nakhumicha’s handling of the strike, accusing her of incompetence and calling for her resignation. They argued that her inability to secure the necessary funds from the National Treasury to address the doctors’ demands demonstrated a failure in leadership.