Universal Health Coverage (UHC) workers have stormed Afya House in a dramatic protest, issuing a stern ultimatum to the government over unmet employment promises and delayed benefits.
On Tuesday, January 27, the frustrated contract workers demanded immediate action from authorities, insisting on a formal written commitment to convert their positions into permanent and pensionable roles before their contracts expire in April.
The disgruntled healthcare staff, who have grown increasingly impatient with what they describe as empty verbal promises, are now demanding an official ministry memorandum that clearly outlines when they will be absorbed into permanent employment.
They also want guarantees that their salaries and the delivery of essential health services will not be disrupted when their current contracts lapse in three months.
During the demonstration, workers expressed their frustration with the prolonged uncertainty surrounding their employment status.
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The protest comes after the workers had announced their intentions on January 22, citing the government's failure to honor agreements made during an intergovernmental summit held in December 2025.
Despite commitments made at that high-level meeting, key government agencies have yet to establish a framework for transitioning staff currently engaged under the UHC programme into permanent positions.
The workers are also demanding immediate payment of gratuities owed to them under the terms outlined in Gazette Notice No. 8091, issued on October 12, 2020, which specifies the conditions of service for employees recruited under the UHC initiative.
Many workers say they have waited months without receiving their rightful payments, adding financial strain to their already precarious employment situation.
Desmond Wafula, the UHC chairperson, had earlier issued a written strike notice expressing the workers' growing frustration.
"We have been waiting for months, yet there is no clarity on when the promised transition will take place, and our gratuities remain unpaid. We are simply asking for what is rightfully ours," Wafula stated.
