Popular Gen Z memes and phrases take over Kenyan medics demos
On March 15, 2024, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) led its over 7,000 members on a strike against the government.
This was to demand better salaries, their salary arrears and the posting of interns to various hospitals across the country – all enshrined in the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement signed between the union and the government, which the government has failed to honour.
For weeks, medics took to the streets in various districts to force the government to agree to the CBA, leaving hospitals understaffed and patients without urgent or necessary treatment.
During this time, there has been a war of words between the medics and the government – particularly over the ‘right’ amount of salary that should be paid to the medics.
The medics are demanding over Sh200,000 for a cadre of medics, but the government insists it has no money and can only afford Sh70,000 and below.
The matter turned political when Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha made statements that did not sit well with the medics and a number of politicians – and the doctors responded in kind, using various government statements and political statements made against them to hit back at the same government in witty, viral comebacks.
In addition, the doctors used pop culture references and memes to write their demonstration statements, ranging from how politicians try to say there is no money when the same government endures rampant financial misappropriation and illegal hiring of staff as rewards to election losers at taxpayers’ expense.
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Nairobi News has selected some of the most viral ‘manifesto’ statements by striking health workers below:
Top-In-Dar (TID) viral phase
Popular Tanzanian musician, TID, became agitated during a recent interview when a person rode past him on a motorcycle while he was being interviewed. In response, he had an outburst, “Why are you passing in between my interview? I hate you!” Some medics took this statement and directed it at CS Nakhumicha, but changed the interview to salary to express their anger.
Daktari wa Kitui
This is a popular name given to witch doctors from Kitui County. Some doctors used this phrase to explain to the government how different and learned they are compared to how they are seen by the same government.
Online writing
A government official tried to defend the Sh47,000 salary for a cadre of medics but a witty professional clapped back saying they were not online writers who continue to be championed by President William Ruto who claims it is easy to make money by simply pressing keys on a computer keyboard.
‘A’ Students
Medics told government officials who failed to get As in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education to stay out of matters concerning students (medics) who actually got As and know their worth.
Public nuisance
The IG of Police, Mr Japheth Koome, recently branded the striking medics as a public nuisance when he banned them from taking to the streets. The medics had something else to tell him, as you can see below:
Salary review
Kenya’s parliamentarians are among the highest-paid politicians in the world, surpassing those in the US. But the Kenya Kwanza government says there is no money to pay medics Sh200,000 and above and can only afford Sh70,000 and below; and that the doctors should accept this fact and go back to work. Some doctors, however, urged the government to practice what it preaches and reduce their own salaries, which make up the bulk of the public wage bill.
Below are more witty jabs at the government from striking doctors, including one referring to the loss Arsenal Football Club recently suffered at the hands of Aston Villa:
