By Linda Muhanji
Kenya’s healthcare system is facing a major disruption after the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) issued a 26-day strike notice, warning that nurses across the country will down their tools starting June 24 if their long-standing demands are not addressed.
Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, May 29, KNUN Secretary General Seth Panyako accused the government of chronic inaction and broken promises, with some grievances dating back to 2017.
“The issues we have raised are not new. Some date as far back as 2017, yet we are still pleading for action. Nurses across the country will down their tools come June 24 if these matters are not addressed,” Panyako stated.
Demands Center on Job Security and Compensation
Among the union’s core demands is the immediate employment of nurses under permanent and pensionable terms, especially those working under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) initiative. Panyako criticized the government for subjecting qualified professionals to precarious contracts and low pay, despite performing equal duties as their better-compensated counterparts.
“While performing the same duties as their colleagues on better terms, UHC nurses continue to earn meagre salaries with no job security. It’s an injustice we can no longer tolerate,” he said.
The union is also demanding the implementation of a revised salary structure that was expected to take effect in July 2024, arguing that failure to do so has worsened already strained working conditions in public health facilities.
Clinical Officers Threaten to Join Strike
In a show of solidarity, the Kenya Clinical Officers Association (KCOA) has also threatened to join the strike. At a separate media briefing, the group decried the lack of a reliable medical insurance scheme, following the government’s decision to phase out the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
“We are tired of empty assurances. Clinical officers are now operating without any proper health cover. If nothing changes, we are ready to join our nursing colleagues in industrial action,” a KCOA representative stated.
Many frontline healthcare workers, they added, are unable to access medical care themselves, creating a paradox that reflects the broader crisis in the sector.
Call for Increased Health Sector Funding
Both unions jointly urged the National Treasury to prioritize healthcare in the upcoming 2025/2026 budget, emphasizing the need to boost funding for staffing, medical infrastructure, and health worker remuneration.
Mounting Pressure on Government
The looming strike comes just months after doctors held protests in Nakuru over staffing shortages and poor working conditions. With nurses and clinical officers now threatening mass withdrawal of services, the government faces growing pressure to resolve critical issues in the health sector or risk a nationwide health crisis.
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