Health services in Kisumu County have been severely disrupted following a strike by clinical officers, who have accused the county government of ignoring their grievances despite repeated attempts to engage officials in dialogue.

Officials of the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), Kisumu branch, said the industrial action was prompted by the county’s failure to address longstanding concerns, including the signing of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), delayed salaries, career progression, staff shortages, inadequate medical supplies and poor working conditions.

Speaking during a press briefing on Monday, June 8, 2026, branch chairperson Vincent Owaa said the union had written to the county government several times over the past month seeking discussions on issues affecting clinical officers but had not received any response.

He said the silence from the employer left members frustrated after years of raising similar concerns without success.

The union leader noted that clinical officers have continued working under difficult conditions marked by staff shortages, delayed promotions and inadequate resources in health facilities, arguing that the county had failed to prioritise the welfare of frontline healthcare workers.

“There are issues to do with CBA signing, perennial salary delays, promotions, designation of our members, shortage of staff, drugs and equipment in our facilities and the scheme of service for clinical officers, yet our employer has remained quiet and made no attempt to resolve them,” Owaa stated.

According to the union, Kisumu is among the few counties yet to sign a recently negotiated CBA for clinical officers despite having participated in discussions held in Nairobi.

Owaa said county representatives attended the national signing ceremony but declined to append their signatures to the agreement.

Union grievances to the county government

He argued that the county government had sufficient resources and goodwill to implement the agreement but had instead chosen to delay the process, forcing the union to resort to industrial action.

“All the other counties were signing, but Kisumu County refused to sign the CBA for clinical officers for reasons best known to them. “We wrote seeking an explanation, and they have not communicated to us,” he said.

The strike, now in its third day, has affected services in public health facilities across the county.

The union says patients seeking treatment are increasingly feeling the impact of the withdrawal of labour by clinical officers.

KUCO branch secretary Craus Okumu said the strike followed a series of unsuccessful attempts to engage county officials through formal channels.

He noted that the union issued a protest letter, followed by a reminder and later a strike notice, all of which went unanswered.

He said clinical officers officially withdrew their services after the strike notice expired on June 4, leading to disruptions in key departments such as outpatient clinics, specialist clinics and inpatient services.

“The ophthalmology clinics are closed, the ENT clinics are closed, the outpatient department is closed and the inpatient department is struggling because there are no clinical officers to admit and manage patients,” said Okumu.

Allowance outcry

The union is also protesting what it describes as the county’s failure to implement an enhanced risk allowance negotiated nationally for clinical officers.

Officials said the allowance was increased from Sh3,000 to Sh7,000 but has not been effected in Kisumu.

Okumu further faulted the county government over the implementation of a career progression framework approved in 2024 and later upheld by a court ruling in 2025.

He claimed recent recruitment advertisements issued by the county contradicted the agreed structure and disadvantaged clinical officers.

“We are not going back to work until our demands are met. The county government must heed our calls and address the issues affecting clinical officers,” he said.

The union also raised concerns over delayed salary payments, claiming some healthcare workers have gone for months without receiving their dues.

Officials argued that the delays have caused financial hardship and affected staff morale.

Additionally, the leaders criticised the county’s medical insurance scheme, alleging that it has failed to provide reliable healthcare coverage for employees due to frequent service interruptions at some hospitals.

The clinical officers are now demanding immediate signing of the CBA, implementation of the enhanced risk allowance, proper career progression, timely salary payments, improved staffing levels and meaningful engagement with county officials.