About Dr. Mercy
Nabwire

A Life of Purpose

Dr. Mercy Nabwire is a long-standing labour organizer, health worker advocate, and union leader who has dedicated much of her professional life to defending the rights and dignity of healthcare workers in Kenya.

She has been actively involved in Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) since its establishment, and has grown within the union through years of organizing and leadership. Her journey in the union began at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), where she served as a hospital representative, mobilizing colleagues and helping strengthen the union's presence at one of the country's largest referral hospitals.

From there, she went on to serve as Branch Treasurer for the KMPDU North Rift Branch, where she played a key role in expanding union membership, strengthening branch structures, and mobilizing doctors during one of the most important periods in the union's history. During this time, she was part of the broader union effort that culminated in the signing of the historic Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that transformed the working conditions of doctors across Kenya.

Her work at branch level laid the foundation for her election as National Treasurer of KMPDU, a role she has held while helping strengthen the institutional capacity of the union. In this position, she has contributed to the development of the union's first strategic plan, supported organizing and advocacy initiatives, and helped establish the Research, Innovation and Resource Mobilization Department within the union.

Dr. Nabwire's leadership extends beyond Kenya. She currently serves as Secretary of the East Africa Health Sector Unions Network, representing healthcare workers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi in regional labour discussions and policy engagement. Through this role, she has helped elevate the voice of health workers in regional labour and health policy debates.

She is also a member of the Global Steering Committee of the Center for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research (CICTAR), where she contributes to research and campaigns examining how global financial systems and corporate practices affect healthcare systems and workers in developing countries.

Her academic training reflects her commitment to labour justice and worker organization. She holds a Master's in Industrial and Employment Relations from the University of Turin and the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization, and a Master's degree in Labor and Global Workers' Rights from Pennsylvania State University. She also holds a Master's degree in Medical Pharmacology and Therapeutics from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology and a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Nairobi.

Before her union leadership work, Dr. Nabwire practiced as a clinical pharmacist at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, including serving as Head of Department for Clinical Pharmacy and Practice. That experience in the healthcare system continues to inform her advocacy for better working conditions for doctors and stronger public health systems.

Today, Dr. Mercy Nabwire continues to focus on building a stronger, more organized, and more financially resilient KMPDU, grounded in solidarity, accountability, and collective power for doctors across Kenya.

"At the heart of Dr. Nabwire's work is a simple conviction: strong healthcare systems depend on empowered health workers and fair labour systems."