Davji Bhimji Atellah

National Secretary General & Chief Executive Officer at Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists & Dentists Union @kmpdu

[Davji Bhimji Atellah @Davji]

We won the fees increment case against UON! Doctors who intend to pursue post-graduate studies shall pay the fees charged before the increment. @NAssemblyKE speaker declared that public participation on the Health Laws (Amendment) Bill was unsatisfactory!

[Dr Abi Mwachi @abimwachi]

📍 #TheRoadAhead: Our members are not only essential to healthcare delivery but are a national asset whose welfare directly impacts the health and wellbeing of millions of Kenyans.

With legal proceedings concluded and the mandate upheld, our focus now shifts fully to doctors' issues and shared priorities.

Among other ongoing priorities:

• The absorption of qualified doctors into the workforce. No trained professional should remain sidelined while communities continue to face healthcare gaps.

• The process towards a new Collective Bargaining Agreement that reflects the realities of the rising cost of living, safeguards doctors' welfare, and strengthens the profession for the future.

Across all engagements, KMPDU remains focused on advancing the shared interests, aspirations, and vision of doctors through practical action, sustained advocacy, and constructive engagement.

The urgency is understood. The commitment remains steadfast. Together, we move forward.

[KMPDU @kmpdu]

🔺️ Isiolo doctors’ strike continues over unpaid salaries and deductions.

[Davji Bhimji Atellah @Davji]

Today marks the end of a legal chapter and the beginning of a renewed phase of action. The Employment and Labour Relations Court has upheld the legitimacy of the @kmpdu elections, affirming the democratic will of our members and allowing the Union to move forward with clarity and focus.

This victory is not about individuals; it is about protecting the collective voice of doctors, pharmacists, and dentists across Kenya. It reinforces our commitment to unity, solidarity, and the pursuit of better working conditions for all healthcare workers.

Our focus now shifts fully to delivering on the issues that matter most to members:
1) Full implementation of CBAs and Return-to-Work Formulas
2) Payment of salary arrears and postgraduate fees
3) Immediate deployment of medical interns
4) Improved working conditions across all health facilities
5) Negotiation and conclusion of the 2025–2029 CBA

The distractions are behind us. The work ahead is clear. Together, we will continue to defend the welfare of healthcare workers and strengthen Kenya’s health system for the benefit of all.

[K24TV @K24Tv]

Isiolo doctors’ strike continues over unpaid salaries and deductions

[Daktari ya Wanawake @MiskellahMD]

Congratulations to my best friend and brother Dr Chris Mwaniki Wanjiru for completing his fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at the University of North Carolina!!Brother to say that am proud of you is an understatement.
Now let as save the world as we also make money.
Rudi nyumbani tujenge taifa letu tunalolipenda.
(ama mimi pia nikasome USMLE niwaache?)
Viva!!

[Dr Abi Mwachi @abimwachi]

🔵 Honored to serve as Chief Guest at the #10thAnniversaryGala of Transafrica and Panari Hotel.

It is a privilege to join distinguished colleagues, including Dr. Joseph Gakonyo, Dr. Amin Nanji, Dr. Ziad, and fellow leaders from KDA and KMA SACCO.

The evening’s theme, Black with a Touch of White, reflects the professionalism and excellence that define our healthcare community.

I look forward to celebrating a decade of achievement, partnership, and service at Panari Hotel. See you there ✊🏾

[Dr Abi Mwachi @abimwachi]

👥 #ILC2026 IMPLEMENTS: Why should a doctor in Kisumu, Garissa, Mombasa, or Turkana care that KMPDU went to Geneva?

[Davji Bhimji Atellah @Davji]

A Historic Milestone for Workers Worldwide

As the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva comes to a close, we celebrate a landmark achievement for the global labour movement: the adoption of the Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention, 2026.

For the first time, the international community has established a global labour standard dedicated to protecting workers in the rapidly expanding platform economy. This Convention is a major step toward ensuring fair working conditions, social protection, dignity, and rights for millions of platform workers across the world.

Over the past two weeks, worker, employer, and government delegates demonstrated the power of social dialogue and tripartism in addressing the challenges of the future of work. Their commitment and collaboration have delivered a historic outcome that will shape labour markets for generations to come.

As workers' representatives, we remain committed to advancing decent work, strengthening labour rights, and ensuring that the benefits of economic transformation are shared fairly by all.

The work does not end here. The next crucial step is for member states to ratify and implement this Convention so that its promise becomes a reality for workers everywhere

[Davji Bhimji Atellah @Davji]

At the 114th International Labour Conference, I contributed to discussions on Iraq's implementation of ILO Conventions 88 and 122, highlighting the importance of ensuring that employment policies and labour market reforms are shaped through meaningful participation by workers and their representative organizations.

As Iraq continues to strengthen its labour market institutions, independent trade unions must be recognized as key partners in designing policies that address unemployment, decent work, fair wages, and social protection. Excluding workers' voices from decision-making weakens accountability and undermines the legitimacy of labour market governance.

Sustainable economic growth and social progress can only be achieved through inclusive social dialogue, strong labour institutions, and respect for workers' rights.

[Davji Bhimji Atellah @Davji]

Today, I hold onto the memories: the campus days, the union struggles, the late-night conversations, the laughter, the dreams, and the unwavering commitment to service that defined his life.

Though his journey has ended far too soon, his impact endures in the people he inspired, the causes he championed, and the lives he touched.

May the Almighty Lord grant Dr. Magubo eternal rest. May He comfort his family, friends, colleagues, and all who mourn him. And may He give us the strength to bear this profound loss.

Rest in peace, my brother. Your time with us was far too short, but your legacy will endure.

[Davji Bhimji Atellah @Davji]

Life and Then Death: A Tribute to Dr. Magubo

We move through life with the quiet assumption that tomorrow is guaranteed. We make plans, chase dreams, and imagine futures without ever truly knowing when our final hour will come. Death rarely announces itself. It arrives uninvited, disrupting everything in its path and leaving behind a silence so profound that words often fail.

The sudden passing of Dr. Magubo has left me heartbroken. It is a loss I am still struggling to comprehend.

I knew Magubo from our campus days in 2009. Even then, he stood out. He was cheerful, free-spirited, and full of life, yet remarkably focused and driven. We were young, idealistic, and deeply involved in campus politics, united by a shared belief that leadership and collective action could make a difference. Those experiences forged a friendship and brotherhood that endured long after university.

By 2021, that bond had evolved into a shared commitment to the struggles of our profession and our union. Magubo became one of the most dependable voices in our movement. I remember the countless hours spent organizing online, mobilizing colleagues, and traversing Kitui in pursuit of a common cause. He never did anything halfway. When he believed in something, he committed himself fully.

When he later moved to Rwanda for postgraduate studies, I visited him there. That visit remains one of my fondest memories. He was vibrant, optimistic, and constantly thinking about the future. His dreams were ambitious, but never self-serving. He wanted to grow because he wanted to serve better. Time spent with him always left you inspired to think bigger, work harder, and believe more deeply in what was possible.

During the 2026 KMPDU elections, Magubo remained true to that character. He stood firmly with the leadership, guided by conviction and loyalty to the work we had built together over the years. We spoke constantly—sharing ideas, discussing strategy, and planning for the future. He was not merely a colleague; he was a trusted friend whose counsel I valued immensely.

Around May 12, 2026, he reached out to me from India, where he had completed his advanced training. Unfortunately, he had encountered an unexpected challenge after overstaying his visa and was temporarily detained as he worked to resolve his documentation.

Yet even in the midst of uncertainty and frustration, he remained unmistakably Magubo.

Looking back at our conversations from those days now fills me with a sadness I can hardly describe. In one message, he joked:
"Nikama sasa hamtawainiona Kenya tena 🤣. I have done everything humanly possible to get out of here but wamekataa kunipea documents."
At the time, we laughed. Together, we navigated the anxiety of the situation as he spent eleven difficult days in Delhi, even marking his birthday there while waiting for clearance. Eventually, the issue was resolved. He obtained his documents and finally made his way home.

He returned more accomplished, more experienced, and more determined than ever to serve. He had invested years in sharpening his skills and expanding his knowledge. He was ready for the next chapter of his life and career—a chapter that promised so much.

And then, in a moment none of us could have imagined, death came.

The words he had written jokingly now return with an unbearable weight: "Nikama sasa hamtawainiona Kenya tena." What was once a lighthearted remark has become a painful reminder of how fragile life truly is.

His passing is not only a loss to his family and friends; it is a loss to the medical fraternity, to his community, and to all who had the privilege of knowing him. We mourn the man he was, but also the countless lives he would have touched, the contributions he would have made, and the future that was so cruelly cut short.

[Davji Bhimji Atellah @Davji]

Collective bargaining must be built on good faith, not political convenience.

At the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference in Geneva, I joined African Trade Unions and Public Services International (PSI) in raising concerns over Nigeria's compliance with Convention 98 on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining.

For workers in health, education, and the wider public service, prolonged delays in implementing agreements and restrictions on lawful industrial action undermine labour rights and weaken public institutions.

We called for an end to the misuse of "No Work, No Pay" policies as a tool to intimidate workers exercising their legitimate rights. Collective bargaining can only thrive when agreements are respected, social dialogue is genuine, and workers are treated with dignity and fairness.

Strong public services require strong labour relations.

[KMPDU @kmpdu]

🔄 Work in Progress at the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference (#ILC2026) in Geneva, Switzerland, where deliberations continue on the future of work, labour governance, and workplace protections among governments, employers, and workers’ representatives.

KMPDU is participating in these exchanges alongside union leaders and workers’ representatives from different countries, contributing to discussions on social dialogue, workers’ rights, and evolving labour standards within the global policy space.

The Geneva deliberations provide key reference points for strengthening health systems governance and labour relations frameworks back home in Kenya, particularly within the public healthcare sector.

This sustained engagement within international labour processes informs KMPDU’s positioning on emerging global policy directions shaping conditions for doctors and healthcare workers.

#ILC2026 #ILO #KMPDU #LabourRights #SocialDialogue #DecentWork

[Davji Bhimji Atellah @Davji]

Liberia: Freedom of Association for Migrant, Maritime and public sector Workers.

At the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference (#ILC2026), I addressed the Committee on the Application of Standards on Liberia's compliance with Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association.

Every worker, regardless of nationality or sector, has the right to organize, associate, and collectively defend their interests. Maritime and migrant workers are vital contributors to the global economy and must not be denied these fundamental rights through restrictive legislation or discriminatory policies.

The principles of freedom of association and collective bargaining are universal. No worker should be left vulnerable to exploitation simply because they cross borders in search of work or earn a living at sea.

We call for full compliance with international labour standards and the removal of barriers that undermine workers' rights, dignity, and voice.

[Davji Bhimji Atellah @Davji]

Stronger together! 🌍 Great conversations and strategic steps forward with Dr. Cedric (SG,South African Doctors Union), Dr. Gilbert (SG, Togo Doctors Union), and Daniel Oberko (SG, @PSIglobalunion Africa & Arab Region). Advancing public services and worker solidarity.

[Dr. Castro J. Sakhame @CASTROJASPER4]

Courtesy call. Real talk. Actionable commitments. KMPDU Nairobi at Mutuini Hospital,because doctors on the ground deserve more than promises. We're holding them to it.
@kmpdu
@Davji
@abimwachi
@WilliamKmuriuki

[Davji Bhimji Atellah @Davji]

#ILC2026

[Davji Bhimji Atellah @Davji]

Honoured to attend the 114th Session of the International Labour Organization International Labour Conference (ILC) under the theme “Advancing Social Justice, Promoting Decent Work.” on-going in Geneva, Switzerland.

This important global gathering brings together worker, employer, and government representatives from 187 member states to deliberate on critical issues shaping the future of work. Key discussions this year include standard-setting for decent work in the platform economy, strengthening social dialogue and tripartism, and advancing a transformative agenda for gender equality at work.

As we engage in these conversations, we look forward to sharing Kenya’s experiences, learning from global best practices, and building solidarity with workers’ movements across the world. The pursuit of decent work, fair labour standards, strong public services, and social justice remains central to building equitable and inclusive societies for all.

#ILC2026 #ILO

[Davji Bhimji Atellah @Davji]

#ILC2026