Dr. Daniel Yumbya was born in 1960 in Ngoleni, Kathiani. In a family of 9, Yumbya was the fourth born and hilariously attributes the depression in the middle of his head to the firewood he used to carry as a kid.
He started his career as a Swahili teacher in the 1980s. In 1994, he was appointed District officer attached to General Mulinge as Lands and Health Minister then. In 1998, he was appointed ministry liaison officer – Parliamentary business and in charge of the protocol in the Health ministry.
In 1999, he was promoted to Executive officer/Secretary KMPDB from then to 2011 and he thereafter rose to be the CEO of Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Council until 30th September 2022. Yumbya has had a career spanning over 2 decades as a regulator and policy developer. He has been instrumental in the development and dissemination of various policies nationally, in the East Africa Community, and in the African continent.
Dr. Yumbya holds a Masters of Business Administration from Edith University in Australia. He also has an honorary doctorate from Mt. Kenya university among other certifications.
Yumbya serves as director of International Medical Regulatory Authorities representing Africa. He has served as a Consultant with the IFC/World Bank on Kenya Patients Safety Impact Evaluation (KePSIE) Project between 2016 and 2017.
During vetting, he faulted the decision by the National Government to restrict procurement of drugs from KEMSA alone saying they use “Push approach” and the county can get more value if they go directly to the manufacturers.
He revealed the county has a shortfall of about 4000 workers but that can only be verified after the audit of Human Resources. His dream he said would be for all leaders in the county to get treatment in public hospitals without going to private hospitals.
Apart from addressing staffing needs, he also vowed to improve infrastructure and equipment and educate the population to register as NHIF members and hold Cancer screening campaigns.
On drugs missing from hospitals, he promised to have all health facilities fenced off and to have a single entry and exit point, and to have suppliers brand all drugs. He vowed to close chemists near hospitals that are doing illegal business. Dr. Yumbya vowed that any businesses dealing with government drugs will have their licenses permanently revoked.
On 12th December 2018, he was awarded the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S). On 12th December 2021, he was awarded Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear (E.B.S) for his role in Healthcare Regulation in the local, Regional, and International arena.
He unwinds by preaching in church. Every year from the 23rd to the 27th of December he flies his wife out for a special holiday where he also enjoys swimming.
