Healthcare services in Kisii County have been severely disrupted after nurses and midwives joined a nationwide indefinite strike following a deadlock between the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) and the Council of Governors over unresolved labour grievances.
Speaking in Kisii Town, union officials urged members of the public to seek treatment at private health facilities where possible as the industrial action continues.
The nurses say the strike was triggered by the government's failure to address long-standing concerns affecting the profession. Their key demands include the conclusion of negotiations on the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), implementation of the 2017 return-to-work agreement, and the release of an implementation matrix outlining how the agreement will be effected.
The union also accuses the national government of failing to transfer payroll management for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff despite Treasury allocating funds, leaving thousands without permanent and pensionable employment terms.
Other grievances include delays in implementing career progression guidelines for nursing personnel and the Kisii County Government's refusal to reinstate 46 nurses dismissed in 2021, a move the union maintains was unlawful.
The strike is expected to cripple healthcare services in more than 160 public health facilities across Kisii County, with thousands of patients likely to be affected as the nationwide industrial action continues in all 47 counties.
