Clinical officers stage protest over delayed reforms, unpaid dues in Coast region
The clinicians noted that the persistent delays have undermined their morale and affected service delivery in public health facilities across the region.
The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) Coast chapter has held a peaceful demonstration to demand long-delayed professional and welfare reforms, saying key commitments have been ignored for more than three years.
The clinicians noted that the persistent delays have undermined their morale and affected service delivery in public health facilities across the region.
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The officers accused county authorities of failing to implement long-overdue promotions and redesignations, delaying the payment of statutory deductions dating back to 2022, and failing to activate career progression guidelines.
They also lamented the continued non-implementation of an approved salary structure by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
In Mombasa, union officials said clinicians were still suffering the consequences of irregular bank deductions inherited from the previous administration.
KUCO Mombasa Chairperson, Ismail Ramadhan, said the county had not cleared all arrears owed to staff.
“We are pushing this government to settle the accumulated bank arrears left by former Governor Hassan Joho. The arrears covered four months, but the county government only managed to pay two, leaving two months outstanding. This is hurting our people because they are being forced to pay interest they were never meant to incur. Money is deducted from the payslip, but what we call low deductions are not remitted. That means interest continues to accrue, and they are paying charges they should not be paying,” he said.
KUCO Mombasa Deputy Chairperson, Fedinand Kai, said efforts to negotiate a return-to-work formula had been frustrated by senior county officials who were assigned to handle the process.
“The Governor responded to our call, and we agreed to begin drafting a return-to-work formula. However, the county officials tasked with preparing that document began playing games. The issues causing the unrest are very serious. For example, some officers are about to retire and still do not know what promotion is. That is not fair. Some of our members have advanced their education, spending money, time and sleepless nights to improve healthcare for Mombasa residents, yet they are denied the rights they deserve.”
Kai said clinicians were tired of endless postponements, noting that the matter has been pending since 2022.
“Last year, you told us we would be promoted this year, and now you are saying it will happen next year. This issue began in 2022. Where is justice? We want to speak to the governor himself; we do not want anyone else.”
KUCO Mombasa Treasurer, Jerome Hesbon, accused some county officers of repeatedly stalling communication with the union.
“It is his officers who are holding us back. Even when we write official letters, they cannot respond. They just leave us hanging. We want to tell the Governor that we have the will, and this strike is not out of our desire; it is because they must fulfil what we agreed at the beginning.”
The union’s Mombasa Secretary-General, Josphine Toyo, said non-remittance of statutory deductions remained one of their most painful grievances.
“They deduct money from workers but do not remit it. We are demanding two months’ deductions from 2022. We have been going back and forth for more than three years with no solution.”
The union members said they are ready to return to work immediately if all their long-standing demands are addressed, insisting that the county must demonstrate a genuine commitment to resolving the matter.
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