Embakasi East MP Babu Owino has demanded better employment terms for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) workers following their strike on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, over unpaid dues and job insecurity.
The lawmaker who joined the striking workers as they took to the streets of Nairobi called for their immediate confirmation into permanent and pensionable positions. He also demanded the urgent payment of their pending salaries.
“We are telling the president of Kenya that these people you see here are the true hustlers. These are the people who are providing services to Kenyans. We cannot treat the UHC workers with contempt. These comrades sat in class for many years, even more than the cabinet secretaries,” Babu Owino stated.
Babu Owino further alleged that individuals were deliberately withholding funds meant for UHC workers, emphasizing that their salaries should not only be paid promptly but also increased.
“Someone is stealing your money intentionally, and therefore, this is the right place for you to bring your grievances. We are also demanding that after your confirmation, your salaries must also increase,” he said while addressing the striking health workers.
The protestors, who were initially employed during the COVID-19 pandemic, expressed frustration over their employment status. They noted that despite handling the same workload as their permanently employed counterparts, they receive significantly lower pay and lack benefits such as healthcare coverage and retirement security.
The UHC workers also accused the government of failing to remit their National Social Security Fund (NSSF) deductions, leaving them without the benefits they were promised when they first took up their positions.
“We fought and defeated the virus during the pandemic, but now, we have been forgotten,” one of the workers lamented during the protest. “We gave everything for this country, but in return, we are left with nothing.”
Adding;
“We gave everything for this country, but in return, we are left with nothing.”