Kisumu senatorial aspirant and lawyer Fred Odumo has welcomed the progress of the Community Health Promoters Bill, 2026, saying it could improve the welfare and working conditions of thousands of community health workers across Kenya.
The bill has passed its second reading in Parliament and seeks to provide a legal framework for the work, remuneration and recognition of Community Health Promoters (CHPs).
Odumo said he had lobbied for the legislation with the support of Seme MP James Nyikal.
Speaking during a meeting attended by more than 140 Community Health Promoters and Community Unit officials from Seme Constituency, dumo said the proposed law would help address longstanding concerns over irregular payments and working conditions.
He said stipends currently paid by county governments should be protected and standardised through legislation.
“Once enacted, it will cure the challenges that have affected Community Health Promoters and ensure their payments are protected by law and standardised,” Odumo said.
The meeting was held at the Seme National Government Constituencies Development Fund offices in Kombewa.
Odumo said better support for community health workers would strengthen primary healthcare in Kisumu County, particularly through early detection of illnesses, disease surveillance and maternal and child health services.
Community Health Promoters are often the first point of contact between households and the health system.
They provide health education, conduct household visits, promote disease prevention and refer patients to health facilities.
Odumo also pledged to continue supporting CHPs in Seme, including by donating a 100-seater tent for their meetings and income-generating activities.Community Health Promoters at the meeting welcomed the proposed legislation.
Bernard Okello, a CHP from Seme, said the bill offered hope that community-level health workers would receive greater recognition and support.
“We are thrilled to learn of the steps that have been taken towards the bill. It gives us hope that our work will finally receive the recognition and support it deserves,” he said.
Okello said Odumo had shown an understanding of issues affecting residents and had demonstrated leadership during the engagement.
Seme Sub-county Community Health Promoters Chairperson Esther Juma described the meeting as an opportunity for the workers to raise their concerns directly with a political aspirant.
She also welcomed the pledge to provide a tent, saying it would support both their official activities and income-generating initiatives.
“The decision by Lawyer Fred Odumo to engage us through a town hall meeting is a good gesture. His promise of a 100-seater tent is encouraging because it will help us hold meetings and undertake income-generating activities,” Juma said.
The Community Health Promoters Bill, 2026, is intended to strengthen the legal and institutional framework governing community health workers and improve their welfare and service delivery.
If enacted, the legislation would provide a statutory framework for the role of Community Health Promoters within Kenya’s primary healthcare system.
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