COs Union Issues 14-Day Ultimatum to Government or Face Industrial Action
By Simon Mwalimu Cephas
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government to fulfill its promises or face a nationwide strike.
Through chairperson Peterson Wachira, the union expressed its frustration over the government’s failure to honour agreements made last year.
Wachira accused the Ministry of Health of renegading from their pledges despite repeated attempts to resolve the issues in contention.
“The agreements regarding our demands were signed on September 21, 2024. To date, nothing has been implemented. We have sent numerous letters reminding the government of its commitments, yet no response has been forthcoming.
Therefore, we are issuing a 14-day ultimatum. If nothing is done by January 19, 2025, all clinical officers will go on strike to defend our rights,” he declared.
KUCO’s secretary-general George Gibore criticized the Social Health Authority (SHA) for sidelining clinical officers from the new health system.
He termed the exclusion as discriminatory and unjust because clinical officers hold valid licenses from accredited institutions.
“It is deeply troubling to see licensed clinical officers excluded from the SHA health system. This amounts to blatant discrimination and denial of their rights as healthcare professionals.”
He decried the government’s failure to deal with key agreements, including a review of promotions and the provision of a comprehensive medical cover.
“Our agreement with the government was to reconvene within 60 days to assess the implementation of our demands. However, none of these commitments have been honoured. Promotions for clinical officers remain stagnant.
We demanded a comprehensive medical cover for all clinical officers and the confirmation of universal health coverage positions on permanent and pensionable terms. These demands have been completely ignored,” he said.
This is not the first time clinical officers have resorted to industrial action.
Last year, they staged a strike lasting over 60 days, pushing the government to address their grievances. Yet, it seems their fight for justice continues to fall on deaf ears.
With the January 19 deadline, the country could be facing another healthcare crisis if the government does not act fast to avert looming strike.
