BUNGE MASHINANI LAUNCHES A CITIZEN'S PETITION URGING THE PRESIDENT TO END THE DOCTORS STRIKE

Members of Bunge Mashinani Initiative mobilize residents in Kiambu as they collect signatures to petition the national government over the prolonged doctors’ strike that has crippled healthcare services in the county.

By: Glad Tv Kenya reporter 

Residents of Kiambu County have launched a citizen-driven initiative to demand an end to the prolonged doctors’ strike that has paralyzed public hospitals in the region for over 100 days. The strike, described as one of the longest ever witnessed in Kenyan history, has left thousands of patients without access to essential medical services, sparking outrage among families and civil society groups.

Speaking during the launch of the initiative, members of the Bunge Mashinini Initiative a grassroots movement championing social accountability said they had begun collecting signatures across the twelve sub-counties of Kiambu to petition the national government to intervene. The group argued that the county leadership had failed to take decisive action to resolve the stalemate.

“As citizens, we cannot continue to remain silent while our brothers, sisters, and children die in hospital corridors because there are no doctors to attend to them,” said one of the initiative’s coordinators. “This is no longer a labor dispute. It has become a humanitarian crisis.”

The strike, according to the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), stems from what they describe as persistent neglect of the health sector by the county government, coupled with poor working conditions for medical professionals. In response to queries by the Bunge Mashinini Initiative, the doctors painted what was termed “a picture of a protracted struggle between a professional body and a rigid political class in Kiambu.”

“Kiambu hospitals are collapsing before our eyes,” added another community leader. “Every day, patients seeking treatment are turned away or left unattended. We are literally watching our health system die while leaders play politics.”

Residents also highlighted the constitutional rights being violated by the ongoing crisis. Citing Article 43 of the Constitution of Kenya, which guarantees every citizen the right to the highest attainable standard of health, they accused the county leadership of betraying the people they are mandated to serve.

“Our Constitution is clear: health is a right, not a privilege. Article 1 empowers us, the people, to demand accountability from our leaders. We refuse to be passive spectators as these rights are trampled upon,” the statement declared.

Civil society groups echoed the frustrations, noting that efforts by the union to engage the county government had been trivialized. “Workers’ unions exist worldwide to negotiate and resolve disputes. Yet in Kiambu, doctors’ grievances are dismissed, and their outreach to legislative institutions has been ignored. That is unacceptable,” said a representative of the Bunge Mashinini Initiative.

The residents argue that the stalemate has exposed the insensitivity of those in leadership, warning that the health system in Kiambu has reached a breaking point. “The truth is simple: lives are being lost every day because our leaders are locked in power struggles instead of finding solutions. We are tired of unnecessary suffering imposed on innocent citizens by public servants who should know better,” the statement added.

As part of their action plan, the initiative is moving across all wards and sub-counties to collect signatures that will be presented to the national government. The petition seeks urgent intervention to bring the strike to an end, stabilize healthcare delivery, and prevent further loss of life.

“This petition is not about politics. It is about survival. It is about a mother who cannot access maternity care, a child denied emergency treatment, and a family forced to watch their loved one die because no doctor was available,” said a youth leader from Githunguri. “We want the national government to hear us clearly: enough is enough.”

Organizers described the citizen’s action as both an awareness campaign and a call to collective responsibility. “We are here to educate and sensitize our people. The deplorable state of healthcare in Kiambu is not a rumor, it is our daily lived reality. The people of this county must rise to demand change,” they emphasized.

As the strike enters its fourth month, many residents expressed fears that the situation could worsen if urgent action is not taken. “History will judge our leaders harshly if they continue to gamble with people’s lives. Healthcare is a constitutional right, and the people of Kiambu deserve better,” one resident remarked.

The petition campaign will continue throughout the month, with organizers hoping to gather thousands of signatures to amplify their call for national intervention. “We shall not rest until this crisis is resolved. Our cry is simple: restore healthcare in Kiambu, and restore dignity to our people,” the initiative concluded.