The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) have issued a fresh 14-day strike notice in a move that could disrupt healthcare services across the country and leave patients stranded.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

In a notice dated July 6 July, and addressed to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and his labour counterpart Alfred Mutua, as well as the Council of Governors, the Council said the strike comes after the national government and the county governments failed to honour agreements reached earlier this year and address longstanding grievances affecting clinical officers.

According to KUCO, the authorities have 14 days to meet their demands, failure to which they will take industrial action, paralysing healthcare activities.

"We, the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), hereby issue this Fourteen (14) Days' Strike Notice pursuant to Article 41 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, Sections 62, 73, 76, 77 and 78 of the Labour Relations Act, 2007, the applicable Recognition Agreements, the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and the Return-to-Work Formula dated January 28 2026," KUCO stated in a notice.

📌 What You Need to Know

"This Notice arises from the persistent failure by the Ministry of Health, the Council of Governors and the Forty-Seven (47) County Governments to resolve the disputes contained in the Joint Health Sector Unions' Demand Notice dated June 17 2026, despite the lapse of the timelines stipulated therein and numerous consultative engagements undertaken in good faith by the Union," it added.

Among grievances raised by the union is the failure to absorb Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Global Fund health workers into permanent and pensionable employment. The union argues that the continued reliance on contract terms has left many health workers facing job insecurity and discriminatory employment practices.

KUCO also accused the government of failing to pay accrued gratuity owed to eligible UHC and Global Fund employees who have served under contractual arrangements for several years.

Another concern is what the clinicians described as the continued placement of newly employed clinical officers in Job Group H instead of Job Group J, contrary to Public Service Commission-approved Career Guidelines for Clinical Officers issued in May 2024. The union says the practice has denied affected officers proper remuneration and career progression.

At the same time, the union accuse the government of failing to implement key provisions of the January 2026 return to work formula, including the implementation of the CBA and payments of the health risk allowance.

If no agreement is reached before the expiry of the notice, the strike is likely to disrupt healthcare delivery in public hospitals across the country, where clinical officers provide frontline medical services, including diagnosis, treatment and emergency care.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke