Clinical officers stage nationwide protests over labour demands

Clinical officers during the protests in Nairobi on January 14, 2026./TIMON OTIENO

Clinical officers under the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) on Wednesday staged nationwide demonstrations to pressure the government and county administrations to address long-standing grievances affecting their welfare and the delivery of healthcare services.

According to KUCO chairman Peterson Wachira, the Ministry of Health has allegedly failed to sign the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that was agreed upon in 2023.

“The court ordered us to sit down and come to an agreement with the Ministry, and we were supposed to have concluded that CBA by October 2024. By the fact that they have not done that, they are in contempt of court and are going against the law,” Wachira said.

In Nairobi, hundreds of clinical officers gathered at Green Park Terminus early Wednesday, before embarking on a peaceful protest march through the city.

Chanting slogans and holding placards bearing their demands, the clinicians marched to the Ministry of Health headquarters, where union leaders issued a press briefing outlining the reasons behind the demonstrations.

At the Ministry of Health offices, KUCO leaders urged the national government to take responsibility for policy direction and coordination, noting that unresolved human resource issues threaten the success of healthcare reforms, including Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The clinical officers are demanding the immediate signing and implementation of their CBA, full implementation of previously agreed Return to Work Formulae (RTWFs), absorption of UHC workers into permanent and pensionable terms, and the payment and absorption of clinical officers previously supported under the Global Fund.

The union said unresolved issues have led to job insecurity, delayed salaries, stalled career progression, and strained healthcare delivery across public health facilities.

Jane Kazungu, a health practitioner under the Global Fund, appealed to the government to clear what she said are 19 months of salary arrears, noting that many affected workers are parents struggling to support their families.

“As a worker under the Global Fund, I am greatly disappointed and I don’t even have the energy to talk. The government has not paid us our salaries in 19 months. We have been pressed to the ground, denying us even the opportunity to be proud as medics,” Kazungu said.

The union has warned that the strike will continue if the government does not address their demands.