KMPDU threaten strike over interdiction of Coast General Hospital CEO in Mombasa

KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah addresses a press conference in Nairobi alongside union officials in Nairobi.  [Wilberforce Okwiri,Standard]

Doctors' union has threatened to strike within seven days after Mombasa County interdicted the chief executive of Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH) without due process.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) condemned the removal of Dr Iqbal Khandwalla on February 22, saying the process was procedurally defective and legally hollow.

The interdiction followed a special board meeting convened amid public outcry over the death of Ali Kibwana, a staff member of Mvita MP Mohamed Machele.

His family alleged the hospital delayed a life-saving brain surgery while demanding an upfront payment of Sh350,000.

The board cited governance concerns, deteriorating stakeholder relations and declining public confidence in the hospital's leadership as grounds for the suspension.

Dr Sood Mohamed was named acting chief executive with immediate effect.

KMPDU says Khandwalla was interdicted without being issued a show cause letter or allowed to respond to allegations against him, a move it says violates Article 47 of the Constitution and Section 41 of the Employment Act (EA).

KMPDU also challenged the substance of the charges, noting that Khandwalla serves as an administrative head and does not sit on the hospital's waiver committee or personally authorise clinical admissions.

"The CEO is an administrative head, not a clinical decision-maker," noted Secretary General Dr Davji Atellah, calling charges of neglecting emergency care "substantively weak and factually misplaced."

Records show the board convened an online meeting at 8:30 p.m. on a Saturday.

The county secretary finalised the interdiction letter the following morning, bypassing the County Public Service Board (CPSB), which holds sole disciplinary authority over county officers.

The union further noted that the interdiction letter prejudged Khandwalla by stating he "deliberately failed, refused and or neglected" his duties before any investigation had commenced.

"We will not allow professional expertise to be sacrificed on the altar of political convenience," noted Atellah.

KMPDU is demanding the immediate revocation of the interdiction letter and resolution of all pending county issues, warning that failure to act will trigger an industrial action.