Protest

15
Dec 2024
9:48 UTC

Kenya Tactical: Healthcare workers’ union to hold protest march in Nairobi at 08:00 (local time) on December 16; maintain heightened vigilance

Current Situation

  • According to an official notice, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) will hold a protest march in Nairobi at 08:00 (local time) on December 16. 
  • The march will begin at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), and then proceed to the Nairobi Hospital, the Ministry of Health, and the Parliament building. The organizers did not specify the exact route of the march. 
  • The union notified the police, seeking protection throughout the protest march.
  • The protest is being held to demand the government to implement the 2017 and 2021 Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) made between the union, and the national and county governments.

Source: X/Twitter

Assessments & Forecast

  1. This comes amid persistent tensions between the KMPDU and the government over the perceived insufficient implementation of the CBA and return-to-work contracts signed after a two-month strike by the KMPDU between March and May. The unions’ grievances include poor working conditions, delayed salary payments, and pay cuts, particularly for medical interns. It also comes as the KMPDU has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike on December 22 over similar frustrations and as employees of the Nairobi Hospital have also threatened to embark on a one-week strike starting December 17. 
  2. The KMPDU has insisted on moving forward with their planned labor action and with this upcoming protest march despite the Ministry of Health disbursing about 965 million Kenyan shillings (approximately 7.45 million USD) in stipends and arrears to over 4,700 interns on November 30, which the union labeled as insufficient. In this context, the KMPDU’s continued actions are likely intended to showcase its frustrations and distrust toward the government and to increase pressure on the authorities to meet the workers’ demands. 
  3. FORECAST: Given the KMPDU’s heightened frustration and known mobilization capabilities, the protest march will likely attract high dozens to low hundreds of participants. A bolstered security deployment is expected in the vicinity of the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), the Nairobi Hospital, the Ministry of Health, and Parliament to monitor the proceedings. Additionally, security forces will likely set up roadblocks and checkpoints to prevent the protesters from gathering or accessing the Ministry of Health and Parliament buildings. Given the precedent of previous KMPDU demonstrations and workers’ elevated frustrations, there remains a latent potential for some protesters to engage in acts of unrest which would result in forcible dispersal measures by the police. This could also trigger localized scuffles between security forces and protesters. Traffic disruptions are likely expected.

Recommendations

Those operating or residing in Nairobi on December 16 are advised to maintain heightened vigilance in the vicinity of the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), the Nairobi Hospital, the Ministry of Health and Parliament due to the planned protest and the potential for unrest and associated security crackdowns.

COUNTRY RISK LEVEL Medium
AFFECTED AREA Nairobi, Kenya
INCIDENT RISK LEVEL Medium
STRENGTH OF SOURCE Confirmed

Current Situation

  • According to an official notice, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) will hold a protest march in Nairobi at 08:00 (local time) on December 16. 
  • The march will begin at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), and then proceed to the Nairobi Hospital, the Ministry of Health, and the Parliament building. The organizers did not specify the exact route of the march. 
  • The union notified the police, seeking protection throughout the protest march.
  • The protest is being held to demand the government to implement the 2017 and 2021 Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) made between the union, and the national and county governments.

Source: X/Twitter

Assessments & Forecast

  1. This comes amid persistent tensions between the KMPDU and the government over the perceived insufficient implementation of the CBA and return-to-work contracts signed after a two-month strike by the KMPDU between March and May. The unions’ grievances include poor working conditions, delayed salary payments, and pay cuts, particularly for medical interns. It also comes as the KMPDU has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike on December 22 over similar frustrations and as employees of the Nairobi Hospital have also threatened to embark on a one-week strike starting December 17. 
  2. The KMPDU has insisted on moving forward with their planned labor action and with this upcoming protest march despite the Ministry of Health disbursing about 965 million Kenyan shillings (approximately 7.45 million USD) in stipends and arrears to over 4,700 interns on November 30, which the union labeled as insufficient. In this context, the KMPDU’s continued actions are likely intended to showcase its frustrations and distrust toward the government and to increase pressure on the authorities to meet the workers’ demands. 
  3. FORECAST: Given the KMPDU’s heightened frustration and known mobilization capabilities, the protest march will likely attract high dozens to low hundreds of participants. A bolstered security deployment is expected in the vicinity of the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), the Nairobi Hospital, the Ministry of Health, and Parliament to monitor the proceedings. Additionally, security forces will likely set up roadblocks and checkpoints to prevent the protesters from gathering or accessing the Ministry of Health and Parliament buildings. Given the precedent of previous KMPDU demonstrations and workers’ elevated frustrations, there remains a latent potential for some protesters to engage in acts of unrest which would result in forcible dispersal measures by the police. This could also trigger localized scuffles between security forces and protesters. Traffic disruptions are likely expected.

Recommendations

Those operating or residing in Nairobi on December 16 are advised to maintain heightened vigilance in the vicinity of the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), the Nairobi Hospital, the Ministry of Health and Parliament due to the planned protest and the potential for unrest and associated security crackdowns.

COUNTRY RISK LEVEL Medium
AFFECTED AREA Nairobi, Kenya
INCIDENT RISK LEVEL Medium
STRENGTH OF SOURCE Confirmed