Nurses and Midwives Strike Enters 29th Day as CoG Faces Pressure

The nationwide Kenya nurses strike has entered its 29th day, with nurses and midwives maintaining pressure on the Council of Governors (CoG) to resolve outstanding labour disputes before they return to work.

The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) has accused county governments of failing to honour agreements reached with health workers, insisting that the prolonged industrial action will continue until key demands are addressed. The union’s position was reiterated as the nurses strike 2026 continues to disrupt public healthcare services across the country.

At the centre of the dispute is the implementation of the 2017 return-to-work formula, which the union considers a critical component of any agreement to end the strike. Nurses are also demanding the adoption and implementation of career progression guidelines, which would provide a clearer framework for professional growth and advancement within the nursing profession.

Another major issue is the employment status of UHC workers. KNUNM wants health workers employed under the Universal Health Coverage programme to be placed on permanent and pensionable terms.

The union says these demands cannot continue to be pushed aside while nurses and midwives remain on the front line of Kenya’s healthcare system.

The standoff has placed the Council of Governors under increasing pressure as county governments remain central to the management and employment of a large proportion of public health workers.

The nurses and midwives strike has also renewed concerns about the effect of prolonged industrial action on patients who depend on public hospitals for essential medical services. With the strike extending into a fifth week, pressure is growing on both sides to reach an agreement that can restore normal operations in public health facilities.

For nurses, however, returning to work without addressing the outstanding commitments is not an option.

KNUNM has maintained that there will be no return to work until the union’s key demands are dealt with. The position sets the stage for continued negotiations between the union and county governments as both sides seek a way out of the dispute.

The Kenya nurses strike is therefore entering a critical phase, with the implementation of the 2017 return-to-work formula, career progression guidelines and permanent and pensionable terms for UHC workers remaining central to efforts to end the impasse.

The longer the dispute continues, the greater the pressure on the Council of Governors, KNUNM and other stakeholders to find a sustainable solution that addresses the concerns of health workers while protecting access to healthcare for millions of Kenyans.