Brown Ashira

2026-05-062026-11-03

News reports

Order a long-term news report on Brown Ashira

Every mention in the Kenyan press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

October 2026
10 OctThe Standard
… Anybody sitting there thinking we are a bother, we shall not permit that.” Public Health Officers Union Secretary General Brown Ashira said Kenya must address staffing shortages as part of its Ebola preparedness plan. …
Health workers demand inclusion in Ebola taskforce, quality PPEs in emergencies
September 2026
3 SeptThe Standard
… KEHPHPU Secretary-General Brown Ashira said public health officers were at the frontline in preventing diseases and protecting communities, particularly in a border county such as Busia.Ashira said officers were responsible for critical preventive health functions, including food …
Busia public health officers seek bigger say in liquor licensing to curb illicit drinks
August 2026
5 AugThe Standard
… "The policy is clinicalising school health," said the union's Secretary General Brown Ashira."When children fall sick, nurses and clinicians are needed to treat them. …
Why school food poisoning outbreaks keep happening in Kenya
4 AugThe Standard
Audio By VocalizeKenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union National Secretary General Brown Ashira, during an interview on August 4, 2026. …
Take health back from counties, union tells state
July 2026
21 JulThe Standard
… Subscribe to our newsletterPublic Health Union Secretary General Brown Ashira blamed governors for what he termed the failure to manage the country's health workforce."We are now calling for the management of healthcare workers to revert to the national government; we cannot cont …
Healthcare services paralysed as workers begin nationwide strike
15 JulThe Standard
… Subscribe to our newsletterAli added that many health workers continue to work under confusion and uncertainty without medical cover for themselves and their dependants, saying the situation had become untenable.Public Health Officers Union Secretary General Brown Ashira urged th …
Health workers threaten nationwide strike over delayed UHC staff confirmation
8 JulThe Standard
… The unions maintained that although the Chairperson of the Kakamega County Public Service Board was present, the absence of the County Attorney stalled the signing process.Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEHPHPU) Secretary General Brown Ashira te …
Barasa under pressure as health unions threaten countywide strike
June 2026
9 JunThe Standard
… Speaking after a visit to Lugulu Girls National High School, KEHPHPU Secretary-General and CEO Brown Ashira noted that the ministry has been evaluating health standards in various institutions without involving trained health experts.He urged Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Mi …
Ministry of Education on the spot over schools inspection tours
May 2026
31 MayThe Standard
… In a statement issued on Saturday, Brown Ashira, KEHPHPU National Secretary General described the incident as a dark and heartbreaking moment for the nation. …
Push for deployment of public health officers to learning institutions
18 MayThe Standard
… s under the Public Health Act (Cap 242) and the Food, Drugs and Chemical Substances Act (Cap 254). “By law, training, and professional practice, this portfolio must be strictly managed by a qualified and licensed Public Health Officer,” said KEHPHPU Secretary General Brown Ashira …
Concern over management of Nairobi Food Certification Unit

Society

Health workers demand seats on Ebola response taskforce

The News

Healthcare workers' unions have demanded representation in Kenya's national Ebola response taskforce and adequate quality protective equipment, warning they will not treat patients without safe working conditions. The KMPDU secretary general said excluding unions from preparedness planning undermines staff safety and threatened that substandard PPE deployment would trigger industrial action.

10 October 2026 · The Standard →

Saturday 10 October

Health workers demand seats on Ebola response taskforce
Healthcare workers' unions have demanded representation in Kenya's national Ebola response taskforce and adequate quality protective equipment, warning they will not treat patients without safe working conditions. The KMPDU secretary general said excluding unions from preparedness planning undermines staff safety and threatened that substandard PPE deployment would trigger industrial action.
10 October 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 3 September

Busia health officers demand role in liquor licensing decisions
Public health officers in Busia County are calling for greater involvement in liquor licensing to help combat illicit and potentially dangerous alcoholic drinks. The Busia County Government has signed a recognition agreement with the Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union, creating a formal framework for engagement between the union and county administration.
3 September 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 5 August

School food poisoning outbreaks persist despite treatment focus
Kenya's public health officers warn that repeated school food poisoning and disease outbreaks affecting hundreds of learners are preventable, but the country continues to focus on treating sick pupils rather than preventing outbreaks in the first place. The Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union attributes these incidents to a weakening preventive health system.
5 August 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 4 August

Union calls for health function return to national government
Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEHPHPU) has called for the health function to be returned to the national government, blaming county governments for repeatedly failing to implement Collective Bargaining Agreements and citing this as a driver of recurring health workers' strikes. The union argues the devolved health system is not working and needs to be reviewed, citing unresolved labour issues including the situation of Universal Health Coverage workers who have remained on contract for more than six years.
4 August 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 21 July

Healthcare workers strike over UHC staff permanent employment
Medical practitioners across Kenya began a nationwide strike at midnight on July 20, 2026, after months of failed negotiations over the government's failure to absorb Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff into permanent and pensionable terms. The strike is expected to cripple healthcare delivery in all 47 counties.
21 July 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 15 July

Health workers threaten nationwide strike over UHC staff confirmation
Health unions have threatened a nationwide strike starting Monday if the Council of Governors does not confirm Universal Health Coverage staff to permanent and pensionable employment. Parliament has allocated funds for the transition, but county governments have delayed the process, leaving thousands of health workers uncertain about their jobs and benefits.
15 July 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 8 July

Kakamega health unions threaten strike over stalled recognition agreement
Five health workers' unions have issued Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa a three-day ultimatum to resolve a dispute over a Recognition Agreement, threatening to withdraw services after a scheduled signing ceremony on Tuesday was derailed when the County Attorney and her legal team failed to attend.
8 July 2026 · The Standard →

Tuesday 9 June

Ministry excludes health experts from school inspection tours
The Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union has raised concerns that the Ministry of Education is conducting inspection tours of boarding schools without involving trained health experts to assess health standards and safety risks, urging the Education Cabinet Secretary to include public health officers in the exercise.
9 June 2026 · The Standard →

Sunday 31 May

Union calls for public health officers in all schools
The Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union has called for the immediate deployment of public health officers to all schools following a dormitory fire at Utumishi Girls Senior School in Gilgil that killed 16 students and hospitalised 74 others.
31 May 2026 · The Standard →

Monday 18 May

Nairobi accused of deploying unqualified staff to food safety unit
Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners' Union has accused Nairobi City County of unlawfully deploying unqualified personnel to manage the Food Hygiene and Medical Certification Unit, saying the move has compromised food safety and exposed residents to public health risks. The union specifically faulted the appointment of a Medical Laboratory Technologist to head the Medical Certification Unit, arguing the position is legally reserved for qualified and licensed Public Health Officers.
18 May 2026 · The Standard →

Thursday 14 May

KEHPHPU condemns murder of public health officer in Bungoma
The Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union (KEHPHPU) has condemned the killing of Pascal Wakafura, a 38-year-old senior Public Health Officer in Bungoma County, who was ambushed at his home on the evening of Monday, May 11, 2026. The union has called for justice and enhanced security for civil servants, describing the incident as an attack on the entire public health workforce.
14 May 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 13 May

SHA owes health facilities more than Sh77 billion, RUPHA chairman says
The Social Health Authority owes health facilities some Sh77 billion as of last year and continues to accumulate debt, according to Brian Lishenga, Chairman of the Rural & Urban Private Hospitals Association. The official attributed the challenges to insufficient resource pooling into SHA to settle medical claims, while union leaders condemned the government for promoting SHA registration without addressing system failures affecting healthcare delivery.
13 May 2026 · The Standard →

Wednesday 6 May

Public health sector faces acute workforce shortage crisis
The Kenya Environmental Health and Public Health Practitioners Union warned that the country's public health sector could collapse due to staff shortages, noting that no public health officers have been recruited in over 15 years and government resources have favoured curative services over public health.
6 May 2026 · The Standard →