Nurses across Kenya are set to begin a nationwide strike from midnight on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, after the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) accused the national government and the Council of Governors (CoG) of failing to resolve long-standing labour grievances dating back to 2017.

Union leaders from the Nyanza region announced that nurses in Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay and Migori counties would fully participate in the industrial action, saying they would not return to work until their demands are met.

Speaking during a press briefing in Kisumu on July 28, 2026, Migori KNUN Branch Secretary Ezekiel Mbira said the strike follows a nationwide notice issued on July 21, 2026, after years of unsuccessful attempts to have the government address nurses’ concerns.

“The issues we are raising have remained unresolved since 2017 despite several engagements. We have reached a point where industrial action is the only language the government seems to understand,” Mbira said.

Issues prompting nurses’ strike

Among the union’s key demands is the immediate negotiation and signing of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which they said has remained pending since the nurses’ nationwide strike in 2017.

Mbira said nurses are also demanding the implementation of commitments contained in the 2017 return-to-work formula, including payment of nursing service and uniform allowances.

The union further accused the Ministry of Health and the Council of Governors of delaying the full absorption of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) nurses into permanent and pensionable terms despite recent payroll changes.

According to Mbira, although UHC nurses’ payslips now indicate permanent and pensionable employment, many have not received official appointment letters, leaving uncertainty over whether they fall under the national or county governments.

Union rejects county negotiations

He also faulted county governments for failing to implement the revised career progression guidelines for nurses that were approved by the Public Service Commission in March 2025, saying the delay has denied nurses promotions and career growth opportunities.

Kisumu KNUN Branch Secretary Andrew Otieno directed nurses in the four counties to strictly observe the strike and warned against county level negotiations.

“The strike has been called by the national office and only the national office has the mandate to negotiate on behalf of nurses. There will be no county-based negotiations,” he said.

Otieno urged all nurses working in public health facilities to withdraw their services beginning one minute past midnight, adding that nurse managers should hand over facility keys to hospital management before leaving.

He advised members of the public to seek treatment in private health facilities or Level Six hospitals where alternative arrangements may be available during the strike period.

Siaya KNUN Branch Secretary Kennedy Hamisi accused the Council of Governors of frustrating the implementation of labour agreements and denying healthcare workers their rights.

He claimed that some of the issues raised by nurses had already received approval from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission but had not been implemented.

Hamisi also criticised the prolonged delay in confirming UHC nurses to permanent and pensionable terms, saying many have served on contracts for years without gratuity despite the government’s policy shift.

The union maintained that the strike would continue until the government addresses all outstanding grievances, including the signing of the CBA, implementation of career progression guidelines, and resolution of the employment status of UHC nurses.