NAIROBI, Kenya – Nurses and midwives at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) have threatened to go on strike from November 9, 2026, unless management resolves a series of outstanding grievances over pay, promotions, employment terms and working conditions.
The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) issued a 21-day strike notice in a letter dated October 13, 2026, warning that its members would withdraw their labour at 12:01am on November 9 if the disputes remain unresolved.
KNUNM Secretary-General Seth Panyako said the union had made several attempts to engage hospital management without securing meaningful progress on the issues raised by its members.
“Despite several attempts by the Union to engage your office and resolve these matters amicably, no meaningful response or resolution has been forthcoming,” Panyako said in the letter.
The union said it would maintain continuity of services during the planned industrial action but would not permit new admissions.
Nurses Demand Permanent And Pensionable Terms
At the centre of the dispute is the union’s demand for nurses to be promoted to permanent and pensionable employment terms, alongside common-cadre alignment and payment of accrued arrears.
KNUNM is also demanding payment of outstanding gratuity owed to its members and the finalisation and signing of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the hospital.
The union says the issues have remained unresolved despite efforts to reach an amicable settlement.
Locum Rates, Qualifications Among Grievances
The union has called for the review and standardisation of locum rates, as well as recognition of higher academic and professional qualifications attained by nurses and midwives.
It is also seeking formalisation of working hours and compensation for duties performed during public holidays.
Another key demand is the employment of locum nurses on permanent and pensionable terms, with the union arguing that their employment status needs to be resolved.
KNUNM maintains that the outstanding matters require urgent intervention from hospital management to prevent the dispute from escalating into industrial action.
Union Mobilises Members As Deadline Nears
The strike notice was addressed to the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer and copied to the Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and union chapter representatives.
The union has instructed its branch officials to mobilise members for the planned strike if management fails to address the grievances within the notice period.
The threatened industrial action comes amid broader concerns among health workers over remuneration, employment security and working conditions in public health institutions.
KNUNM has urged KUTRRH management to resolve the outstanding issues before November 9 to avert the strike and minimise disruption to hospital services.
