Kindiki Calls for Urgent Resolution of Nurses' Strike as Health Services Disrupted

Deputy President Urges Dialogue to End Nurses' Strike

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has called on the Council of Governors (CoG) and the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) to urgently resolve the ongoing strike, warning that prolonged disruption of health services could undermine Kenya's development agenda. Speaking after chairing a special session of the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) on Monday, Kindiki urged both sides to return to negotiations and reach an agreement that addresses nurses' concerns while ensuring continued access to essential healthcare.

"We must urgently resolve the nurses' strike because disruption of health services hurts our development agenda," Kindiki said, as reported by AllAfrica. He added, "The Council of Governors and the nurses' union must sit down, engage and find a solution that will allow health services to resume normally."

Kindiki emphasized that health services are critical to the country's social and economic development and should not remain disrupted for an extended period. He called on the Ministry of Health, the CoG, and the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to intensify engagement with the union and conclude the process. "I am urging the Ministry of Health, the CoG and the SRC, to go out of their way, engage the union, and conclude that process because we don't want disruptions in this sector," he said, according to ke.

Strike Disrupts Public Health Services

The nationwide strike, which began on July 29 after the expiry of a seven-day strike notice, has disrupted services in public hospitals across the country. County hospitals and other public health facilities have faced severe shortages of nursing staff, affecting outpatient and inpatient services as well as specialised care. Maternity services, child delivery and emergency response have also been disrupted, leaving patients to seek treatment in private facilities or travel to referral hospitals where services remain available.

The disruption has placed additional pressure on major referral facilities, including Kenyatta National Hospital, as patients from counties where services have stalled seek alternative care. The strike has entered its second month, with patients reporting disruptions and delays in accessing treatment.

Council of Governors Calls for End to Strike

The Council of Governors has urged nurses to call off the strike, with Chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi stating that the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was signed under duress, was never implemented and is financially unsustainable. Abdullahi, who is also the Wajir Governor, said county governments cannot commit to implementing an agreement whose financial implications cannot be sustained within available resources.

"We are all in agreement that UHC staff ought to be PnP. All we are saying is that the money must be in perpetuity, this year, next year and 20 years from now," Abdullahi said in an earlier statement on the dispute, as reported by AllAfrica. The CoG has argued that negotiations on a new CBA should continue through dialogue, rather than through industrial action.

Nurses' Union Demands

The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives has insisted that the strike will continue until outstanding agreements are implemented. The union's demands include implementation of the 2017 return-to-work agreement, conclusion and implementation of the nurses' CBA, adoption of career progression guidelines, and absorption of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) workers into permanent and pensionable terms.

KNUNM has maintained that it is ready for constructive engagement but has insisted that outstanding agreements must be resolved before nurses return to work. Kindiki has said both sides have a responsibility to protect the interests of patients while addressing the grievances raised by nurses. "Our focus must remain on the welfare of Kenyans. We cannot allow disagreements to continue affecting patients who depend on public hospitals for essential services," he said, as quoted by AllAfrica.

IBEC Resolutions on UHC Workers

The IBEC meeting, chaired by Kindiki, resolved to fast-track the absorption of UHC workers into permanent and pensionable employment, in line with the agreement that the transition would take effect from July 1, 2026. The Council resolved that transition costs be provided for through County Governments Additional Allocations (CGAA) for the 2026/27 financial year. Amounts already paid by the Ministry of Health for July and August will be accounted for under the CGAA and reimbursed to the ministry from September 1.

The Council also resolved that the Commission on Revenue Allocation's revenue-sharing recommendation for the 2027/28 financial year should factor in personnel costs arising from the absorption of UHC workers. The Ministry of Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes will facilitate the transfer of eligible workers' payrolls to county governments, while County Public Service Boards will undertake their absorption. The Public Service Commission will provide uniform guidelines to guide the process.

Progress in Healthcare Coverage

Kindiki reported that more than 32 million Kenyans are registered for the Taifa Care programme, with 20 million having received outpatient treatment. He noted, "It is not a small matter, the number of people on this programme already. We are almost achieving universality because once you hit 75 per cent, then you have a universal healthcare system." The Social Health Authority has disbursed Sh178 billion to health facilities in the 47 counties.

Kindiki attributed the progress to cooperation between the national government, county governments and the CoG. "I must thank the cooperation between the Council of Governors, the county governments and the national government because, without it, we would not have achieved the progress we have achieved so far," he said.

The IBEC meeting also reviewed progress under the National Equipment Support Programme, which equips Level 4 and Level 5 hospitals with modern medical equipment, with the programme now focusing on Level 3 facilities. Kindiki said the model was designed to avoid challenges associated with the defunct Medical Equipment Scheme (MES). "Borrowing from the experiences under the defunct Medical Equipment Scheme (MES), this programme is more sustainable because it is on the basis of a fee-for-service model," he said. Under the arrangement, equipment providers are responsible for installation, maintenance and consumables and are paid based on usage, ensuring no downtime.