UHC workers set for Nairobi protest as payroll row deepens
The protests come as top Ministry of Health officials, including Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, are attending the World Health Assembly in Geneva from May 19 to 27.
Thousands of health workers under the Universal Health Coverage programme will stage protests in Nairobi on Tuesday, May 20, following a decision by county governments to reject a proposal to begin paying them from July 1.
The protests come as top Ministry of Health officials, including Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, are attending the World Health Assembly in Geneva from May 19 to 27.
Duale is leading a team of 59 government officials to the gathering, which is the World Health Organisation’s top decision-making meeting.
Also present are embassy officials based in Geneva and principal secretaries Ouma Oluga and Mary Muthoni.
In a notice sent to Nairobi police, the UHC staff, through their Health Sector Caucus, announced their plan to protest over delayed salaries, pending gratuities, lack of permanent job terms, and the absence of a clear budget allocation for the 2025/26 financial year.
"An estimated 8,000 UHC staff are expected to participate in this course," the notice reads.
The protest follows weeks of tension between the national and county governments over the fate of 20,000 UHC staff.
The national government has announced that counties will take over their payroll starting July 1, but the Council of Governors says it will not accept the handover unless key conditions are met.
On May 19, CoG Chair Ahmed Abdullahi said counties had not received any official transfer of the payroll and would not absorb the workers unless adequate funds are provided.
He also pointed to concerns over unclear terms of employment and lack of proper consultation from the national government.
"Counties should not be dragged into a simmering tussle until the national government conclusively deals with what is at hand," Abdullahi said.
The healthcare workers, who were hired on contract, are demanding permanent and pensionable terms and the immediate payment of long-overdue gratuities.
They also want the payments made before any transfer to the counties begins.
