Health Workers Begin Nationwide Strike Over UHC Staff Employment, Accuse Counties and Council of Governors of Failing UHC Workers
By Gedion Nzyoki -
NAIROBI, Kenya, July 20, 2026 — Healthcare workers across Kenya have begun a nationwide strike after accusing county governments and the Council of Governors (CoG) of failing to absorb 7,450 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) workers on permanent and pensionable terms despite the National Government having already allocated funds for the transition.
Speaking during a joint press briefing in Nairobi on Monday, Health Union Caucus Chairman and Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) National Chairperson Peterson Wachira said the strike officially commenced at midnight following weeks of unsuccessful engagement with county governments.
"Today, it is very unfortunate to come here and say that because of the neglect and inaction of our county governments, and by extension the county governors, who are the CEOs of those counties, health workers have begun their strike today from midnight," Wachira said.
Counties Accused of Failing UHC Workers
Wachira said county governments had left UHC workers without salaries, medical cover, or formal employment after the expiry of their contracts.
"As we stand here today, the 7,450 UHC staff do not have a salary this month. They cannot access healthcare services because they do not have medical cover. They have no formal engagement with either the county or the national government," he said.
While thanking President William Ruto, the Ministry of Health, and Parliament for allocating funds to facilitate the transition, Wachira maintained that county governments had become the biggest obstacle to implementation.
"Our Parliament has also done its job by allocating the budget that is necessary. But it is now becoming clear that the weakest link in healthcare is at the county level," he said.
He argued that county governments had demonstrated an inability to manage healthcare personnel and called for discussions on establishing a Health Service Commission or another mechanism under Article 189 of the Constitution to oversee the country's health workforce.
Council of Governors Under Fire
Meanwhile, Public Health Union Secretary General Brown Ashira accused the Council of Governors of failing to effectively manage the country's health workforce and called for healthcare human resource management to revert to the National Government.
"This is a clear indication that the governors, or rather the Council of Governors, have failed to manage the health workforce in this country," Ashira said. "We want health services to be reverted to the National Government. We cannot allow politics to be played with the health of this country."
He maintained that Parliament had already secured funding for the UHC programme and questioned why governors had failed to issue permanent appointment letters.
"If the government has money, what is so difficult about issuing permanent appointment letters to our UHC colleagues?" he asked.
Governors Accused of Sabotaging Devolution
On his part, Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers National Chairman Odipo Nicholas described governors as "the saboteurs of devolution," arguing that they had failed to effectively manage healthcare workers despite being entrusted with the devolved health function.
"It is very clear today that health human resources have become a challenge for county governments to manage," Nicholas said.
He proposed that county governments continue managing health facilities while the National Government assumes responsibility for healthcare personnel.
Unions Say Funding Is No Longer the Problem
Giving his remarks, Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers Secretary General Pius Nyakundi said the dispute was no longer about the availability of funds but the unwillingness of county governments to implement the programme.
"The money is there," Nyakundi said, adding that unions had lobbied Parliament, the National Assembly, the Senate, and the Ministry of Health to secure the funds.
He, however, accused governors of deliberately delaying implementation.
"The 47 county governments want to be given the money so that they can employ their own people," he alleged.
Nyakundi credited Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale for facilitating the process but insisted that county governments had frustrated its implementation.
Public Advised to Seek Alternative Healthcare
The Health Union Caucus urged Kenyans seeking treatment in public hospitals to consider alternative healthcare facilities as the strike continues.
"We have no response from any employer whatsoever," one union leader said. "They wanted this strike. They have actually ensured that they have midwifed this strike."
The unions maintained that the strike would continue until all UHC workers receive appointment and confirmation letters placing them on permanent and pensionable terms, alongside progress on collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), Recognition Agreements, and broader reforms to the management of healthcare workers in Kenya.
Comments
Post a Comment