A new standoff has erupted between the Ministry of Health and the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), with the union accusing Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale of deliberately delaying the signing of a key Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) ahead of a planned nationwide strike on December 23.
KUCO says the government has already cleared the agreement at major levels, including the National Treasury and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), but the Health Ministry has yet to sign it. KUCO Secretary-General George Gibore warned that failure to act would force clinical officers to shut down hospitals across the country.
“Treasury and SRC have accepted it; it is only CS Aden Duale who is yet to do so. We will officially begin our strike on December 23,” Gibore said.
KUCO National Chairperson Peterson Wachira noted that the negotiations were completed months ago. “The documents are printed and have been on the CS’s desk for three months,” he said.
The union also staged peaceful demonstrations from Green Park Terminus to Afya House, accusing the ministry of failing to honour commitments in their 2024 return-to-work agreement.
The pending issues include promotions, redesignations, better pay, and the conversion of clinical officers to permanent and pensionable terms.
But CS Duale has strongly rejected the claims, saying the protests are being manipulated by individuals who are not healthcare workers. He argued that some union leaders were using outsiders to infiltrate demonstrations in order to sabotage the health system.
“Most of the people who come to demonstrate nowadays are not healthcare workers,” Duale said. “Some leaders are turning a very noble healthcare workforce into a tool for their own games.”
He defended his record since assuming office, saying he has stabilised the sector and resolved long-standing industrial disputes. Duale insisted that he has not delayed the CBA, adding that the document has not yet reached him formally.
“I do not sign documents immediately upon receipt. In fact, I have not seen this one,” Duale said during a televised interview. He explained that the agreement affects both national and county governments, making consultations with Treasury, SRC, and the Council of Governors necessary.
Duale said he intends to sign the CBA once it reaches his desk and expressed hope of completing the process before the end of next week. He also emphasised his commitment to continued dialogue with KUCO leadership.
Meanwhile, KUCO has maintained that if the ministry does not take action soon, the planned December 23 strike will go ahead, potentially paralysing healthcare services across the country.
