NAIROBI, Kenya — Clinical officers have petitioned the Senate to investigate what they describe as persistent discrimination, labour violations, and neglect by the Ministry of Health, the Social Health Authority (SHA), and county governments—allegations they warn are crippling service delivery in public hospitals.
In a petition presented to the Senate by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) accused key state agencies of sidelining clinical officers in policy decisions and undermining their role in the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme.
“The situation has created a two-tier system in the health sector,” KUCO Secretary-General George Gibore said. “Clinical officers are systematically excluded from meaningful participation and denied opportunities available to other cadres.”
Among the union’s top grievances is the alleged violation of a return-to-work agreement signed with the Ministry of Health.
KUCO says the government has failed to implement agreed-upon career progression guidelines, delayed internship placements, and withheld the conversion of contract jobs under the UHC programme to permanent and pensionable terms.
The union also took issue with the SHA, accusing it of stripping clinical officers of their pre-authorisation rights—a move they say has left patients facing unnecessary delays and costly out-of-pocket expenses.
KUCO now wants the SHA board to empanel all clinical officers registered by the Clinical Officers Council and reinstate their authorisation privileges.
“Thousands of patients are suffering because bureaucratic discrimination is standing in the way of timely, affordable care,” said KUCO Chairperson Peterson Wachira. “The Senate must act to correct this injustice.”
The petition also highlights the Ministry’s alleged reluctance to directly engage with KUCO.
According to the union, repeated requests for meetings with top health officials have been ignored or redirected to junior staff—a level of access not seen with other health worker unions.
In a scathing rebuke, KUCO claims over 30,000 qualified clinical officers are currently sidelined due to what they term as “policy indifference,” despite being registered and ready to serve in public health facilities.
“The Ministry must implement the return-to-work agreement in full, harmonise internship pay, and end the casualisation of clinical officers,” the petition reads. “We urge the Senate to ensure UHC implementation is equitable and legally sound.”
The petition comes amid broader tensions in the health sector, where gaps in staffing, pay disparities, and delays in hiring continue to disrupt services, especially in rural and under-resourced counties.
The Senate is now expected to initiate an inquiry into the matter and table recommendations that could shape future health governance.
