Prolonged Nurses Strike Exerts Pressure on Public Healthcare

By CORRESPONDENT | 8th Sep 2026 | 

Nurses in Nairobi are carrying placards with messages including, “Punda Amechoka, COG Do Something Now” and “Implement the RTWA 2017 Now,” directed at the Council of Governors.

NAIROBI, Kenya Sept 8 – The prolonged nurses’ strike is continuing to put pressure on Kenya’s public health system, with essential services facing disruption across the country.

Hundreds of nurses demonstrated in Nairobi, demanding the government and county authorities implement long-standing labour agreements, and address concerns over pay, staffing and working conditions.

The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives says, their members will not return to work until outstanding commitments are honoured.

Among the demands are implementation of the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, payment of salary arrears, improved allowances and career progression.

KNUNM official Boaz Bachari acknowledged the union and government have continued holding talks, but nurses say negotiations must result in signed and implemented agreements.

Civil society plan Thursday protests in Nairobi over alleged xenophobia and discrimination against African migrants.

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“The problem goes beyond pay. Delays in promotions, re-designation and implementation of agreed career guidelines have affected nurses professionally, leaving some qualified workers stuck in the same positions for years despite gaining additional qualifications,” he said.

The 2017 agreement remains at the centre of the dispute.

A 2018 Employment and Labour Relations Court record shows that the government had agreed to a monthly nursing service allowance of 20,000 shillings for nurses in job groups G to L and 15,000 shillings for those in job group M and above, with payment to be made in two phases. However, nearly a decade later, the union says key provisions remains unimplemented.

The Council of Governors has disputed the union’s position, with its chairman and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi recently saying the 2017 agreement was signed under what he described as duress. The Union, however, maintains that the agreement was valid and should be honoured.

Bachari says nurses understand the difficult position patients are in, but insists that better working conditions are necessary for healthcare workers to provide safe and effective services.

“Delayed promotions and career progression have affected morale, while poor working conditions and staffing pressures make it difficult to provide consistent care,” the KNUM official explained.

The government and county authorities have continued engaging the union, with recent talks also addressing the absorption of UHC workers into permanent and pensionable employment, but the nurses say promises are no longer enough.

They want signed agreements implemented, outstanding payments addressed and their professional concerns resolved before they return to work.

By Sandra Osike