Dozens of healthcare workers marched through the heart of Nairobi on Monday, blowing vuvuzelas and waving the national flag. Their destination: Afya House, home of Kenya’s Ministry of Health.
Their message was loud and clear they want fairer contracts, equal pay, and job security. For many, it’s a fight they say has gone unheard for too long.
“We’re tired of waiting,” said Mary Wanjiku, a nurse from Nyandarua County who has worked under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme for six years. “Every year it’s the same promises, and still we remain on short-term contracts while others doing the same work are permanently employed.”
The protest was peaceful but tense. Workers blocked access to the Ministry building, calling for Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to address them directly. Security officers stood by as the demonstrators chanted and raised placards demanding justice and recognition.
Broken Promises
The UHC programme, a cornerstone of President William Ruto’s healthcare agenda, was launched to provide affordable care to all Kenyans. But many of those working within it say the system has failed them.
At the heart of their grievances are unrenewed contracts, inconsistent salaries across counties, and what they call an opaque hiring process. Those who have served for more than five years say they were promised permanent and pensionable terms but few have seen that happen.
“How can you expect commitment when we’re living in constant uncertainty?” asked Tom Odhiambo, a clinical officer from Kisumu. “We give everything to this work. Yet we’re treated like we’re disposable.”
Government Response Pending
By Monday evening, the Ministry of Health had not issued a formal statement. Repeated requests for comment from the Ministry’s communications office went unanswered.
Efforts to address long-running issues in Kenya’s public health sector have faced delays, complicated by budget shortfalls and differences between national and county governments. Yet health workers argue that their concerns have less to do with funding and more to do with political will.
“They keep saying they value our service,” said one lab technician who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals. “But how do you value someone you won’t even give a stable contract?”
A Broader Pattern
The protest at Afya House is the latest in a series of labour disputes across Kenya’s healthcare sector. Doctors’ and nurses’ unions have repeatedly warned of burnout, poor pay, and worsening morale.
The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers, while not directly involved in Monday’s protest, issued a statement in support of the demonstrators, calling on the Ministry to honour commitments made in previous agreements.
As the protest ended late in the afternoon, workers vowed to return if their demands are not met.
“We’ll be back,” said Wanjiku. “Next time, with more people. We’re not going away.”
For now, the corridors of Afya House remain quiet but outside, the frustration is growing louder.
