Clinical Officers protest over stalled promotions

Kenya Union of Clinical Officers General Secretary George Gibore. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

Clinical officers in Nairobi, under the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO), have staged protests against the Nairobi County Government.

Speaking to The Standard on Wednesday, July 16, KUCO Secretary General George Gibore said the strike stems from the county government’s refusal to implement the 2024 career guidelines for clinical officers.

Among their demand include over stalled promotions and unfair re-designations, and corrupt and unjust hiring practices.

“We are pushing for promotion and re-designation in line with the approved guidelines,” said Gibore. “The employer has been resisting implementation, leaving many officers stagnated and working outside their job descriptions.”

He emphasised that many clinical officers have remained in the same job group for years and are performing duties outside their official designations due to the county’s inaction.

Gibore further pointed out the delayed posting of five clinical officers who received appointment letters from the County Public Service Board but have yet to be assigned duties.

“Why did you leave the other people? We have even been writing letters to them to have them posted. They have not done so. And whichever you use, lame excuses that they even, I mean, dismiss that the letters are not theirs.”

He suggested that the continued delays could signal corruption within the system.

“We wanted them to post them, because we are looking at it that this could have been an element of corruption, where people wanted money and they never wanted to post these people.”

According to the union, full implementation of the career guidelines would help resolve their grievances, particularly for officers who have remained in the same job group for up to a decade.