Doctors’ Salary Adjustments to Be Implemented as Arrears Revised to KSh 330M

Doctors’ Salary Adjustments to Be Implemented as Arrears Revised to KSh 330M

Kenyan doctors are poised to receive long-awaited salary adjustments after the government revised outstanding arrears to KSh 330 million, down from an earlier estimate of KSh 450 million, in what officials describe as a major step toward resolving years of delayed payments.

The development follows renewed engagement between the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union and the Ministry of Public Service over implementation of pay reviews tied to past agreements and remuneration cycles.

Authorities say the new figure emerged from a February 2026 circular that recalculated the total owed to doctors, incorporating updated payroll data and verification of individual entitlements.

Multi-Agency Verification Exercise

A coordinated review involving several state agencies — including the Department of Public Service, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, the Council of Governors, and the National Treasury — was conducted over two days from March 17 to March 18 to determine the precise arrears owed.

The discussions sought to resolve uncertainty surrounding payments under the 2017–2024 Collective Bargaining Agreement as well as the third and fourth remuneration review cycles. Although the salary reviews had been completed earlier, implementation stalled after the Salaries and Remuneration Commission required additional time to issue advisory guidelines to county governments.

Dispute Over “Overpayments”

Union officials have challenged the government’s interpretation of payroll data, particularly claims that some doctors received excess payments during the adjustment period.

KMPDU maintains that what authorities classify as overpayments are simply routine annual increments that should not be conflated with negotiated CBA obligations.

“We will be actively monitoring compliance across all counties to ensure full and immediate implementation. At the same time, we will independently verify the figures provided, maintaining our position that standard annual increments must not be conflated with CBA obligations,” the union said in a statement.

Counties Ordered to Act Immediately

In a directive issued on March 10, county governments were instructed to implement the revised basic salaries without delay and include all accrued arrears in payroll computations.

Officials were also directed to apply a special payment code developed by the Department of Public Service to streamline disbursement and minimise administrative delays that previously slowed implementation across counties.

Funding shortages had earlier been cited as a major obstacle, with counties reporting insufficient allocations within their equitable share. However, the situation improved after an additional KSh 2 billion was allocated for personnel emoluments, enabling the rollout of the third remuneration review cycle covering the 2021–2025 period.

Majority of Doctors Still Owed

Despite progress, union leaders say most doctors are yet to receive their rightful adjustments.

Davji Atellah, KMPDU Secretary General, expressed concern over data interpretations suggesting a small proportion of doctors had been overpaid.

“The data presented indicates that approximately 5 per cent of members were overpaid, while 95 per cent are owed adjustments. This position… erroneously categorises annual increments as part of CBA implementation,” he said, adding that the union firmly rejects the classification as inconsistent with prior labour court rulings.

Calls for Interest on Delayed Payments

Even as implementation begins, the union insists that doctors are entitled not only to salary adjustments but also to interest accrued on delayed payments, given that some obligations date back several years.

KMPDU has pledged to closely monitor compliance across all counties to ensure eligible medical professionals receive their dues without further setbacks.

The developments come as negotiations continue for the 2025–2029 collective agreement, with doctors seeking assurances that future salary reviews will be implemented on time to avoid repeating the prolonged delays that have characterised previous cycles.

For thousands of public sector doctors, the revised arrears figure offers cautious optimism — but full resolution will depend on whether counties promptly execute the directive and release the long-awaited funds.

ALSO READ: Ruto’s Affordable Housing Programme at Risk as Ksh800 Million Budget Cut Looms

Doctors’ Salary Adjustments to Be Implemented as Arrears Revised to KSh 330M