How Governor Nassir moved to stop a major doctors’ strike in Mombasa

Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Nassir flanked by KMPDU secretary general Dr Davji Atellah and others during a press conference on Tuesday evening.

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir on Tuesday evening successfully averted a major healthcare crisis after brokering a last-minute deal with doctors.

The move came hours before a countywide strike was due to begin.

Doctors under the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists' Union (KMPDU) had issued a seven-day strike notice last week.

They cited unresolved labour grievances, stalled promotions, delayed statutory remittances, and concerns over contractual employment terms.

The strike was set to commence at midnight.

However, following intense engagements between the county government and union officials, the strike was suspended after the parties reached a comprehensive agreement.

At the heart of the dispute was delayed career progression for dozens of doctors. The doctors’ union had complained that many medics had stagnated in the same job groups for years despite qualifying for advancement.

Speaking after the meeting, KMPDU secretary general Dr Davji Atellah confirmed the county had agreed to promote 105 doctors by next month.

The promotions will span multiple job groups, including 15 doctors in the common cadre, 25 moving to Job Group Q, 25 to Job Group P, 17 to Job Group R and four to Job Group S.

In addition, a further 20 doctors will receive their promotion letters by July 1, 2026, effectively resolving all the cases presented by the union.

“That means all the doctors that we presented to the county will be promoted,” said Atellah, signalling a major breakthrough in the talks.

Nassir noted that part of the 2021 Return-to-Work Formula had already been implemented before the strike notice was issued, with only a few elements pending processing.

“There was an agreement done in 2021 and part of that agreement had already been implemented even before we received the strike letter. Only a few issues were remaining and are currently being processed,” the governor said.

Another key sticking point was the status of doctors serving on fixed-term contracts. The union argued that prolonged contractual employment created uncertainty and vulnerability.

In response, Nassir agreed to review the contracts of doctors currently serving and to issue letters of confirmation or convert them to permanent and pensionable terms by June 1, 2026.

The governor explained that the county’s policy has been to assess employees through two three-year contracts before confirming them to permanent terms, in order to evaluate discipline and performance.

However, he agreed to review doctors’ cases and extend the exercise across all cadres.

“As we do that, we will do it simultaneously for all other cadres, from doctors to nurses to firemen to inspectors and everyone else,” Nassir said.

The strike notice had also raised concerns over alleged non-remittance of SACCO and statutory deductions, with the union initially claiming five months of pending remittances.

During the talks, both sides reconciled the figures and established that two months were pending.

The county committed to clearing one month by June and the remaining month in the next financial year.

The union had also protested the interdiction of Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital CEO Dr Iqbal Khandwalla, terming it procedurally flawed.

However, by the time of the negotiations, the interdiction had already been lifted, reducing tensions around the issue.

“Based on the engagement that we’ve had, the strike stands suspended,” Atellah said.

In addition, Nassir agreed in principle to shield doctors from political interference within health facilities, amid concerns that politicians were overstepping into professional medical spaces.

The governor committed to protecting doctors from interference or insecurity that could hinder service delivery.

“We have agreed with the governor that MCAs, MPs and any politicians have no role in medical practice. The governor has agreed to support us and protect doctors from any political interference or insecurity that may interfere with their work,” Atellah said.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

Governor Abdulswamad Nassir’s intervention demonstrates the political value of direct engagement in labour disputes, especially in essential sectors such as healthcare. By conceding to structured timelines on promotions, contract reviews and remittance settlements, he neutralised the immediate trigger for industrial action while preserving administrative authority.