Congolese Doctors Sue Duale and Kenyan Ministry of Health

Over 20 Congolese doctors in Kenya have sued the Ministry of Health and CS Aden Duale.
Moreover, they accused the ministry of refusing to renew their 2026 licences and work permits.

Lawyers Term Move Arbitrary and Discriminatory
Lawyer Danstan Omari filed the case under a certificate of urgency on January 12.
Additionally, he argued the doctors are East African Community members yet denied licence renewal.

Omari insisted Duale’s earlier assurance exempting EAC doctors from the ban was misleading.
He noted Congolese doctors faced inflated renewal costs, paying Ksh 500,000 instead of Ksh 20,000.

Doctors Highlight Impact on Healthcare
The doctors stressed they are qualified practitioners from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Furthermore, they have lived and worked in Kenya for over a decade in public and private institutions.

They warned that without urgent licence renewal, patients risk losing essential medical care.
Consequently, affected doctors and their families face severe economic hardship due to the restrictions.

Policy Debate and Regional Concerns
Duale defended prioritising Kenyan-trained doctors, aligning with international best practices.
Moreover, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union supported the directive, citing exploitation of foreign labour.

However, Duale’s orders exempted East African Community practitioners, reaffirming regional integration commitments.
Following the petition, his commitment is now questioned, raising regional diplomatic concerns.

Finally, the doctors urged Kenya and DRC governments to find lasting solutions for future disputes.