Why nurses strike will not end soon

It has now emerged that internal politics in county governments and the underestimation of the impact of industrial action by governors is the reason the nurses strike may not be resolved soon.

Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) on Thursday said that the ongoing nationwide nurses’ strike continues to expose deep systemic failures in the health sector.

The union warned against attempts to politicise the grievances of frontline workers.

Union officials said that while several counties have resolved disputes with health workers, others remain locked in stalemate, forcing patients to bear the brunt of a disrupted public health system.

KNUN Secretary General Seth Panyako decried the systematic discrimination in handling of the strike across counties, noting that politics and tribal undertones had worsened the standoff in some regions.

“These are basic issues, genuine issues that have been longstanding for more than seven years, and therefore we urge governors not to politicise the plight of nurses,” he said.

He was speaking at the union’s headquarters in Nairobi on Thursday, on the progress report of the ongoing strike.

Panyako hit out at Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, who had alleged tribalism within the union’s local branch.

He dismissed the claims as baseless, saying that the branch leadership reflects Kenya’s ethnic diversity.

“The allegations that the union in Trans Nzoia has been inflated by tribalism and political interference are not based on any facts. This is a national strike, and it has nothing to do specifically with Trans Nzoia,” Panyako said.

The union secretary general said the strike, which began on August 8, was triggered by the failure of governors to honour the return-to-work formula.

He cited the 2017 return-to-work formula, converting contract nurses to permanent staff, addressing acute shortages, and effecting the 2024 Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) circular on salary increment.

“Nurses are only asking for what is due to them. There is no political interference. There is no tribal interference,” he said.

So far, Siaya, Kisumu, Kitui, Kilifi, Embu, Narok, Samburu and Meru counties have struck deals with KNUN and recalled their nurses to work.

Nurses in Nairobi, Trans Nzoia, Busia, Kisii, Bomet, Machakos, Isiolo, Kwale, Lamu and Nyamira remain on strike or are engaging in negotiations.

Panyako praised counties that engaged the union swiftly and resolved grievances.

“We want to thank Samburu County. When they saw the strike notice, they engaged our union, signed an agreement, and the strike never happened. This is how leadership should be exercised,” he said.

In Machakos, Governor Wavinya Ndeti had dismissed the strike as politically driven. However, Panyako denied the allegations and lauded the governor for recruiting 500 new nurses to address staffing shortage.

“Governor Wavinya has done very well as a leader. We urge her not to trivialise workers’ issues. Hiring 500 nurses is a good step, though the shortage is 3,000. It may look small, but it is a move in the right direction,” he said.

KNUNM National Treasurer Maureen Nzioka, underscored the gender burden of the crisis, noting that many nurses were women juggling family responsibilities alongside demanding jobs.

“When we go on strike, it does not mean we have abandoned our work. It means the government has failed to fulfill its obligations. This is not politics, and it is not tribalism, it is a matter of human rights,” she said.

KNUNM has also accused employers of intimidation and unfair disciplinary action against striking nurses.

The union insists that such tactics only deepen mistrust. “Going on strike does not demonstrate that any union is powerful. It only demonstrates a breakdown of communication and failure to respect the rule of law,” Panyako said invoking the constitutional right to strike.

Despite frustrations, KNUNM’s leadership says progress is being made and remains hopeful that more counties will resolve disputes in the coming days.

“We are satisfied as a union with the progress so far. Our members are going to get what is rightfully theirs,” said Panyako, urging the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors to step in and ensure a lasting solution.