Former Universal Health Coverage staff threaten to strike over 6 years of gratuity arrears
Former Universal Health Coverage staff threaten to strike over 6 years of gratuity arrears
Former Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff have announced plans to resume demonstrations in November, demanding payment of six years of outstanding gratuity arrears.
In a statement on X on Sunday, October 25, 2026, the UHC staff union declared November a month of action over the unpaid benefits, calling on the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Public Service Commission (PSC) and Parliament to address their demands.
“November is for gratuity,” the union stated.
The former staff said they would resume Tuesday demonstrations, commonly known as maandamano, targeting the Ministry of Health, the Public Service Commission and Parliament until their demands are addressed.
“All former UHC staff shall invoke Article 47 of the Constitution. We will resume Tuesday maandamano at the Ministry of Health, the Public Service Commission and Parliament until we receive six years of outstanding gratuity arrears,” the union added.
The workers also announced plans to invoke Article 47 of the Constitution, which guarantees every person the right to administrative action that is expeditious, efficient, lawful, reasonable and procedurally fair.
“Every person has the right to administrative action that is expeditious, efficient, lawful, reasonable and procedurally fair. If a right or fundamental freedom of a person has been or is likely to be adversely affected by administrative action, the person has the right to be given written reasons for the action,” Article 47 of the Constitution states.
Their move signals an intention to use constitutional provisions to challenge the handling of their outstanding gratuity payments and seek an administrative response from the relevant government institutions.
The union maintained that the former employees deserve payment of the six years of arrears, arguing that the documentation issued to them supports their demand.
“Since our P&P Letters are dated 2026, we deserve the gratuity as promised by the president,” the statement read.
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The reference to P&P letters appears central to the workers’ argument that their employment documentation supports their expectation of gratuity. However, the precise implications of the letters for individual entitlements would depend on their terms and the applicable employment arrangements.
The planned demonstrations are expected to place renewed pressure on the Ministry of Health and the Public Service Commission, alongside Parliament, to respond to the former employees’ demands.
The union said the protests would continue until the six years of gratuity arrears were paid, although it did not provide a detailed breakdown of the total amount owed or the number of former staff affected.
The dispute raises questions about the settlement of employment-related benefits involving personnel engaged under government health programmes and the institutions responsible for addressing their grievances.
The workers’ demand also places emphasis on the need for clear communication from the relevant authorities regarding eligibility, outstanding payments and the timelines for resolving the matter.
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