Clinical officers in Nairobi have issued a fresh strike threat, vowing to demonstrate on a daily basis if their demands are not directly addressed by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja.
The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), Nairobi branch, announced plans to stage mass demonstrations from Wednesday, July 16, as they accused the county of dragging its feet in addressing a string of their demands.
KUCCO national chairperson Peterson Wachira confirmed the strike plans, adding that industrial action would be escalated into daily protests from next week if the Nairobi County government remained mum about the clinical officers' demands.
"Many facilities around Nairobi have not been working. And even those that have been working have not been working optimally," Wachira said.
"What is more concerning is the carefree nature the Nairobi county government has been handling those issues," Wachira said.
Among the demands the clinical officers have tabled are recruitment, promotions, and the implementation of career progression guidelines.
"We have our five officers with appointment letters be posted, We want the career guidelines be implemented. The third issue has been promotion and redesignation. Our members have stagnated for the longest time," Stephen Muthama, the Nairobi KUCCO chairman lamented.
The officers who had been on strike for 83 days paralysing healthcare in the city before calling it off have also called on affected residents to join them in demanding urgent action.
In their latest call to action, the clinical officers also demanding a direct engagement with the governor, who they believe has the power to end the stalemate if he directly engaged the officers.
The stalemate between KUCO and the county government dates back to January 2025, when they cited unfulfilled Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) demands while issuing a separate notice.
Notably, KUCO has consistently come to an agreement with the government after industrial action, but for the most part, the cordial relationship between the two parties is often short-lived.
In July 2024, the union called off its 99-day strike after signing a CBA with county governments.
However, two months later, in September, the deal had yet to be established, and they once again issued a 30-day strike notice listing a flurry of demands.
