Kenya Nurses’ Strike to Continue Indefinitely as Union, Governors Remain Deadlocked
Kenya’s nationwide nurses’ strike is set to continue indefinitely after negotiations between the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) and the Council of Governors failed to produce a breakthrough.
The strike, which began on July 29, has severely disrupted services in public hospitals across the country. More than 32,000 nurses are reported to have taken part, with maternity care, immunisation, diagnostics and other essential services affected.
KNUN Secretary-General Seth Panyako said negotiations had produced only limited progress, leaving the union unwilling to call off the industrial action until its demands are addressed. The dispute centres on the implementation of existing agreements, career progression, employment terms and other conditions of service.
The Council of Governors has maintained that the strike is illegal and several county governments have begun disciplinary measures against striking nurses. The dispute has also continued despite a court order issued earlier in August directing nurses to return to work.
The prolonged action is placing additional pressure on Kenya’s already strained public healthcare system. Some facilities have reported reduced operations, while patients requiring routine and specialist services have faced delays or been forced to seek alternatives.
The deadlock also exposes a broader problem in Kenya’s devolved health system, where responsibility for healthcare workers is shared between national and county authorities. Disagreements over who should implement employment agreements and meet their financial obligations have repeatedly complicated negotiations with health unions.
With no settlement in sight, the continuation of the strike risks further disruption to essential healthcare and could deepen tensions between health workers and county governments.
For thousands of patients, the central issue is no longer simply the nurses’ demands but how long Kenya’s public health system can withstand a prolonged withdrawal of its frontline workforce without serious consequences for patient care.
