Health care workers in Embu County have called off their 16-day strike that had paralysed health services in public health facilities across the county.

While addressing members of the press on Thursday, May 28, 2026, in Embu town, the Union officials, led by Chairman Alloys Njoka, said the decision to resume duties followed the payment of April salaries, which had been delayed.

The strike had disrupted operations in hospitals and health centres, forcing patients to seek alternative medical services as most public facilities remained understaffed.

Health Works Union Chairman Alloys Njoka urged the county government to consistently remit salaries and statutory deductions on time.

Njoka noted that delayed salaries had caused financial hardship among workers, adding that health workers deserve better treatment considering the essential services they provide to residents.

“We expect all health workers to go back to work. The April salaries started trickling in various banks on Tuesday, and per now, 70 per cent of the health workers have their salaries in the banks,” Njoka.

He also criticised transfers of health workers, saying the transfers inconvenience employees, especially at a time when some have not been paid their dues.

“We want county government to take employees seriously on several matters. We had an agreement with the county government not to give employees arbitrary transfers, but still, such cases are being experienced. This won’t be allowed,” he said.

Embu Health workers plea

According to Njoka, the county government should engage workers and union officials before effecting transfers to avoid unnecessary disruptions in service delivery.

Kenya Union of Nurses (KNUN) Embu branch Secretary General Macharia Kanderi urged the county government not to victimise workers returning to duty after the strike.

Kanderi said health workers had exercised their constitutional right to strike and should therefore not face intimidation or punitive measures for participating in the industrial action.

“Because we got our April salaries, which were delayed, we have decided to go back to work. We are writing to the county government not to have employees who were on strike victimized at all,” Kanderi stated.

At the same time, Kenya National Union of Clinical Officers, Embu branch Secretary Jacinta Rwamba said promotion of health workers remains one of the major grievances affecting staff morale.

Rwamba claimed that out of the Ksh247 million used by the county government for promotions, about 88 percent benefited one cadre, leaving other health worker cadres with minimal allocations.

“We are demoralised still, and we are not going to strike because all our grievances have been made. The county government should ensure all cadres are equally sorted,” she said.