Ndindi Nyoro sides with striking UHC staff and calls for their confirmation
Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro has called for the confirmation and employment of the striking Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff, noting that there are enough funds for their packages.
In a statement on Friday, May 23, 2025, Nyoro, who sits on the Budget and Appropriations Committee at the National Assembly, urged the chairperson of the committee, Samuel Atandi, to consider settling the issues of the health workers.
“UHC Healthcare workers have been offering selfless service to our Country. The amount needed to confirm all the 8,571 patriots and enhance their salaries must be a priority,” Nyoro said in his statement.
“Do what is necessary to fund the confirmation of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff. The Ksh3.8 billion that is needed is not much in the entirety of the budget,” he appealed to Atandi.
Permanent and pensionable
“This is money that is going directly into service delivery and directly into youthful Kenyans. Please consider the 8,500 of them to be confirmed into permanent and pensionable terms and for them to be paid the salaries commensurate with the education and service they are rendering in our institutions.”
The UHC workers, whose strike is approaching 100 days since it started in February, got a major boost after several health unions issued a joint strike notice aimed at addressing their grievances.
In a statement on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, the health sector caucus chairperson, Peterson Wachira, indicated that the failure of the government to heed the demands of the striking UHC workers would result in a nationwide strike.
“The caucus has directed the respective unions to convene their National Executive Councils and Advisory Councils to sanction a joint nationwide strike if these demands are not conclusively addressed within the next 14 days,” Wachira observed in the statement.
Grievances
Among the demands issued by the health workers are the urgent convening of a meeting to address issues raised by the striking UHC workers within 14 days, absorption of all UHC workers and payment of their outstanding arrears, and the payment of the UHC gratuities before their payroll is transferred to County governments.
Health CS Aden Duale maintains that the UHC workers should have their salaries paid by the County government, given that health is a devolved function.
The Council of Governors (CoG), however, states that the transfer of over 20,000 UHC workers from the national government to the counties will be rejected if sufficient funds are not allocated.
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Arnold Ngure
General reporter with a bias for crime reporting, human interest stories and tech. Reach out via: [email protected]
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