By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
Kenya, April 25, 2026 - National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has moved to calm rising tensions over teachers’ medical cover, offering to mediate talks between the government and unions as discontent continues to simmer on the ground.
Speaking after meeting teachers from Bungoma County, Wetang’ula said he will hold discussions with Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale next week, signalling fresh efforts to resolve concerns around the Social Health Authority (SHA) scheme.
“The challenges you have presented are serious… we must find practical solutions quickly,” he said, acknowledging that frustrations among teachers remain widespread.
His intervention comes at a delicate moment. While the government recently announced reforms, including scrapping co-payments and expanding access to healthcare, many teachers say the changes have yet to translate into real relief at hospitals.
Union officials at the grassroots have raised concerns over continued out-of-pocket expenses and limited access to quality facilities, warning that unresolved issues could still disrupt learning if tensions escalate.
Wetang’ula noted that the complaints are not confined to one region, citing similar feedback from teachers in parts of Narok, Kuria and Ndhiwa, pointing to a broader national problem.
“These are not isolated cases. The scheme must work for every teacher, everywhere,” he said.
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Even so, he urged teachers to hold off on drastic action, assuring them that he has taken up the matter personally to help prevent a nationwide strike.
Teachers’ representatives, however, maintained that confidence in the system remains fragile. Some argue that despite official assurances, the transition to SHA has made access to care more complicated than before.
The Speaker’s move follows recent high-level talks involving the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), SHA and union leaders, which produced a tentative agreement aimed at stabilising the scheme.
Attention now shifts to the planned meeting between Wetang’ula and the Health Ministry, seen as a critical step in determining whether the standoff will ease or escalate into a full-blown crisis in schools.