Kericho clinical officers resume work after deal with the county

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Clinical officers in Kericho have resumed duty after ending a month-long strike, even as a nationwide nurses' strike continues to disrupt services across public hospitals in the North Rift.

The return to work of the clinical officers followed the signing of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the Kericho county government and the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO).

Elsewhere in Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Trans Nzoia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo counties, the nurses'strike has persisted with manu hospitals struggling to offer services.

Kenya National Union of Nurses official Kevin Kimutai said nurses form the backbone of healthcare delivery and that hospitals would be severely affected in their absence.

"We have been negotiating for a long time to avert the strike, but our efforts failed. We will not resume work until our demands are met," Kimutai said.

The nurses are demanding the implementation of delayed Collective Bargaining Agreements, promotions and payment of salary arrears.

Kimutai accused county governments of failing to recognise the contribution of health workers and honouring their labour rights.

"It is our desire as health workers to serve patients without such disruptions, but we cannot do so if our rights are ignored and abused," he said.

He said nurses will not allow governors to disregard their rights.

In Kericho, Governor Erick Mutai led negotiations with KUCO officials, culminating in the signing of the CBA with the union's secretary general George Kibore.

The agreement ended the clinical officers' industrial action and paved the way for the full restoration of healthcare services across the county.

Speaking at the county headquarters, Mutai said his administration remains committed to resolving labour disputes through dialogue, mutual understanding and diplomacy while ensuring essential public services are not interrupted.

The governor also condemned the invasion of one of the county's hospitals during the strike by people he described as goons, saying the incident endangered vulnerable patients.

He said babies in the hospital's newborn unit were exposed to harsh weather conditions after the disruption, describing the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable.

Mutai said healthcare facilities should remain places of healing and must be protected from violence, intimidation and any acts that put the lives of patients and healthcare workers at risk.

He commended both the county's negotiating team and the KUCO leadership for reaching an amicable settlement in the interest of Kericho residents.

Instant analysis

The end of the clinical officers' strike in Kericho offers some relief, but the simultaneous nurses' strike means the county, like much of Kenya, remains caught in a wider health workforce crisis. It underscores the fragility of public healthcare, where resolving one labour dispute does little if another erupts. The recurring industrial actions also expose persistent failures by county governments to honour collective bargaining agreements, promotions and salary obligations. For patients, the consequences are immediate: delayed treatment, overcrowded facilities and interrupted essential services. Unless governments address the underlying labour grievances, Kenya's public health system will remain vulnerable to repeated disruptions.