This archive report was first published on 9 November 2019.
On November 8, 2019, Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Ouma Oluga took to Twitter to defend Senator Boni Khalwale's stone-throwing antics during the Kibra by-election.
Oluga blamed Khalwale's desperation on the government's reluctance to employ all doctors, resulting in 'juvenile antics' from some medical professionals.
"It is very disheartening the humiliation our government puts Medical doctors through. This is the reason KMPDU keeps advocating that the Kenyan government must employ all doctors in order that every Kenyan has access to medical care and that they are not driven to such illicit activities," Oluga said.
However, Oluga's defense of Khalwale sparked backlash from netizens, who argued that the senator's actions were not justified and that he should not be defended by the doctor's body.
Oluga maintained that it was his responsibility to defend all doctors, even those who may not use their positions effectively to address health system challenges.
He also highlighted Khalwale's past advocacy for doctors' grievances as a lawmaker, stating that the senator had been a strong advocate for health service commission.
