Major public sector unions have threatened to stage nationwide protests unless the government halts what they term the rushed and irregular establishment of the Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI).
The Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEHPHPU) and the Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNUMLO) accused the Ministry of Health of bypassing legal procedures and excluding critical stakeholders in the creation of the new institute.
Speaking during a press briefing on Monday, April 28, Brown Ashira, Secretary General and CEO of KEHPHPU, emphasized that public policy formation must involve stakeholders as a legal requirement. “Any formation of government policy must involve stakeholders as a legal requirement and must also look at the future with the present in mind,” he stated.
The unions condemned a directive issued by the Ministry of Health on April 22, instructing Principal Secretaries to begin transitioning select public health and laboratory functions to KNPHI. They argued that the move lacked a clear legal framework, did not guarantee job security or protect staff benefits, and was being executed without human resource validation.
Nicholas Odipo, the National Chairperson of KNUMLO, criticized the leadership structure of the new institute, claiming it was skewed towards clinical cadres while sidelining essential public health officers and laboratory technologists. “The institute must be led by a mix of implementing cadres, namely public health officers and laboratory technologists with relevant skills and registration,” Odipo asserted.
The unions demanded that the board of KNPHI reflect fair representation of all professional cadres. They also called for an independent recruitment process, validated human resource policies, and an autonomous budget approved by Parliament to guide the institute’s operations.
Citing Article 118 and Article 196 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, alongside the Employment Act and the Public Service Commission Act, the union leaders said the ongoing transition process was unconstitutional and illegal without comprehensive stakeholder engagement.
“Until proper frameworks are put in place, we oppose the directive by the Cabinet Secretary to hurriedly and blindly transition our members to KNPHI,” Ashira stressed.
The unions have vowed to mobilize their members for nationwide demonstrations should the government fail to address their concerns and suspend the current formation process.