Seth Panayko, Secretary-General of the Kenya National Union of Nurses, framed the action as the latest episode in a prolonged dispute over pay and terms. "For many years we have had, since 2017 up to now, push and pull back between SRC, the Salaries and Remuneration Commission and the Council of Governors. Today we are visiting SRC to tell us their story and to ask them to issue a letter of no objection on our CBA," he said.
The industrial action, which began in late July, entered its 37th day as union leaders warned of worsening effects on patients. Collins Otieno Ajwang, president of Kenya's National Nurses Association, said the strike has severely affected public health facilities nationwide. "The nurses strike is today entering its 37th day. Public health facilities across the country are severely affected by this strike. Our concern as fellow health professionals is what this continuing delay is now costing patients and the healthcare system," he said.
The deadlock between the unions and the Council of Governors has pushed nurses to intensify street protests alongside the walkout. Clinical officers' leadership also urged urgent action to prevent further harm. Joseph Chebii, secretary general for clinical officers associations, warned of rising mortalities and called for all parties to meet. "It is time now that we are seeing moralities rising among our mothers and other citizens of this country that can be avoided. If we continue delaying, we will have many more losses. So our call is for the unions, for the SRC, national government, county government and other stakeholders to kindly go to the table and have discuss and resolve this issue," he said.
The immediate next step is the union's appeal to the SRC for the letter of no objection that would clear the path for a formal CBA, while unions and health groups press both national and county authorities to return to negotiations. Without a breakthrough, unions and clinical officers warn patient care and public facilities will face further disruption.
