Patients in Bungoma County are facing a crisis as health services in the region come to a halt following the resumption of a strike by clinical officers. The industrial action, which began on Tuesday, 18th February 2025, follows unresolved issues between the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) and the Council of Governors (COG), alongside the County government of Bungoma.
Speaking to the press in Webuye on Friday, Ekisa Ambuchi, the KUCO branch secretary, confirmed that the nationwide strike had resumed after a 21-day suspension period granted to the COG and the Ministry of Health failed to yield any meaningful progress. The suspension period, which began in January, was meant to address the critical demands raised by the union, but according to Ambuchi, no substantive action has been taken to resolve the issues.
“The decision to resume the strike was not made lightly. It follows the expiration of the suspension period given to the relevant authorities to act on the concerns raised by our members,” Ambuchi said. “Unfortunately, no progress has been made, leaving us with no choice but to resume industrial action.”
One of the main reasons behind the strike is the breach of a return-to-work agreement signed on 8th July 2024, following a previous 99-day strike. The agreement outlined key issues that were to be addressed by both the county and national governments, including the promotion and re-designation of clinical officers, the recruitment of additional staff, budgetary allocation for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) clinical officers, as well as the harmonization of terms of service.
“We are deeply disappointed that despite the signed agreement, the County government of Bungoma has failed to honor its commitments, leaving our members in a state of uncertainty,” Ambuchi added.
In addition to the breach of the return-to-work agreement, Ambuchi expressed concern over ongoing discrimination by the Social Health Authority (SHA) board. Despite legal requirements for the board to empanel health care workers based on their respective regulatory bodies, clinical officers have allegedly been excluded, a move that Ambuchi argues is not only illegal but discriminatory.
The KUCO branch secretary issued an apology to the public for the inconvenience caused by the strike, emphasizing that the clinical officers had exhausted all avenues of engagement with the relevant authorities. “Our repeated attempts to resolve these issues through dialogue have been met with inaction and disregard for the legitimate concerns of our members,” he said.
As it stands, the strike will continue until the demands of the union are fully addressed, and the terms of the return-to-work agreement are honored by the relevant parties.
“We are calling on the Council of Governors, the Ministry of Health, and the County government of Bungoma to take immediate action and address these issues in the interest of the Kenyan public and the healthcare system,” Ambuchi stated.
