By Robert Mutasi 
The clinical officers’ strike has entered its 12th week, with health services still disrupted in eight counties, including Uasin Gishu, as the standoff over the implementation of a collective bargaining agreement continues.
Clinical officers under the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) began the nationwide strike on July 20, 2026, after accusing the national and county governments of failing to address their grievances.
More than 11 weeks later, Machakos, Makueni, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Kakamega, Vihiga, Homa Bay and Nairobi remain affected by the industrial action. Machakos has recorded a partial strike, while the other counties continue to experience varying levels of disruption.
In Uasin Gishu, the dispute has added pressure to public health facilities as the county remains among those yet to sign the negotiated Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
The agreement was negotiated over several years and signed at the national level in February 2026. Clinical officers have, however, maintained that its implementation has stalled in several counties.
KUCO has linked the strike to several outstanding issues, including salary adjustments, promotions, risk allowances, career progression and the conversion of some Universal Health Coverage workers from contract employment to permanent and pensionable terms.
The union has also raised concerns over the failure by some counties to implement agreed career guidelines and pay allowances contained in the CBA.
KUCO national chairman Peterson Wachira said the prolonged strike was continuing to affect patients who depend on public hospitals for affordable medical care.
He said the disruption had affected outpatient services, maternity care and specialised procedures in some counties.
Clinical officers play a major role in Kenya’s public health system, particularly in outpatient departments and specialised services at different levels of healthcare. Their absence has therefore left gaps that counties have struggled to fill.
In Trans Nzoia, the union reported that inpatient services had previously been disrupted before the county brought in locum clinicians. Specialised clinical officers, however, remained absent from some facilities.
The situation has also been serious in Homa Bay, where KUCO said some Level 3 facilities had stopped performing Caesarean sections, forcing patients to rely on referral hospitals or seek treatment elsewhere.
In Makueni, the union reported that Level 3 facilities were not operating, while Level 4 and Level 5 hospitals were relying on contract staff.
The prolonged industrial action has also raised concerns about the financial impact on county governments. KUCO said some counties had recorded revenue losses as patient numbers at public facilities declined.
The dispute has partly eased in counties that have negotiated return-to-work agreements with the union. Mombasa, Kilifi, Nandi, Kajiado, Kericho, Bungoma, Narok, Kisii and Nyamira are among counties that have reached agreements that allowed clinical officers to resume duty. Busia also reached an agreement after more than two months of the strike.
KUCO Secretary-General George Gibore has maintained that members will only return to work in counties that fulfil their commitments under the negotiated agreements.
Another unresolved issue concerns the enhanced risk allowance provided for under the February 2026 CBA. The allowance is expected to rise from Sh3,000 to Sh5,000 in the current financial year and Sh7,000 in the following year.
Wachira blamed the continued delay in implementing the allowance on the failure to update the relevant government payroll code.
He said the Council of Governors had written to the Ministry of Public Service in August requesting changes to the Human Resource Information System to enable counties to implement the agreement, but the union says the required changes have not been made.
The continuing strike has left patients in affected counties facing longer waits and, in some cases, seeking treatment from private facilities at a higher cost.
For residents of Uasin Gishu, the dispute remains a major concern because the county’s public health system serves a large population in Eldoret and surrounding areas.
With the strike now stretching beyond 11 weeks, pressure is mounting on county and national authorities to resolve the outstanding issues and restore normal operations in the affected public health facilities.
The union has warned that it will continue pressing for implementation of the CBA until the remaining counties meet the agreed conditions for clinical officers to return to work.