NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya could face a major healthcare disruption after the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) issued a seven-day strike notice, warning that nurses across all county health facilities will begin a nationwide strike on July 29 if the government fails to address longstanding labour grievances.
The looming industrial action comes as the ongoing strike by Universal Health Coverage (UHC) workers enters another phase, raising fears of a wider crisis in public healthcare services.
In notices addressed to the Cabinet Secretaries for Health and Public Service, the Council of Governors (CoG), the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), KNUNM accused the government of failing to honour previous agreements despite repeated consultations.
Among the union’s key demands is the immediate confirmation of all UHC workers to permanent and pensionable terms, with nurses insisting they should remain on the national government payroll rather than being transferred to county governments.
The union argued that although the National Treasury allocated Sh8.6 billion for the absorption of UHC workers and the Ministry of Health indicated that the transition process had been completed, counties have yet to receive the funds needed to place the workers on their payrolls.
KNUNM also wants the immediate implementation of nurses’ career progression guidelines, saying delayed promotions have stalled salary progression and professional development for thousands of healthcare workers.
In addition, the union is demanding the conclusion of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), arguing that prolonged negotiations have denied nurses improved pay and better working conditions.
While apologising to the public over the expected disruption, the union maintained that poor working conditions continue to threaten quality healthcare.
“A demotivated, unprotected and underpaid nursing workforce is a direct threat to safe patient care,” the union said.
The union has directed branch officials nationwide to mobilise members for industrial action should the government fail to address the grievances before the expiry of the strike notice.
Governors blame national government
The strike threat comes amid an escalating dispute between the national and county governments over responsibility for more than 7,400 UHC workers recruited during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Council of Governors Chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi blamed the national government for the ongoing stalemate, saying counties had not received the funds agreed upon to absorb UHC workers into their payrolls.
He argued that if the national government had honoured earlier agreements, the current strike would have been avoided.
Abdullahi also dismissed calls to return healthcare services to the national government, insisting that health remains a devolved function under the Constitution and that any attempt to reverse devolution would require a national referendum.
Health unions fault counties
The governors’ position has, however, been rejected by the Health Unions Caucus, which insists county governments have failed to implement court orders and previous agreements on the employment of UHC workers.
Health Unions Caucus chairperson Peterson Wachira said Parliament had already approved Sh8.9 billion to facilitate the confirmation of UHC staff on permanent and pensionable terms, but governors had failed to implement the resolution.
The fresh strike notice piles further pressure on both levels of government to resolve the standoff before July 29, with thousands of patients likely to bear the brunt if nurses join the ongoing health workers’ strike.