Nurses now threaten nationwide strike as UHC dispute deepens
Nurses in Kenya have issued a seven-day strike notice, threatening to withdraw services from all county health facilities. The union is demanding permanent employment for UHC staff and the resolution of long-standing collective bargaining and career progression issues.
Why it matters
A nationwide nursing strike threatens to cripple Kenya's public healthcare system, potentially leaving thousands of patients without access to essential medical services.
UHC workers protest during a demonstration to present their petitions to the ministry of the health along Cathedral road, Nairobi on October 7, 2025 /LEAH MUKANGAI
Kenyans face the prospect of a wider health crisis after nurses threatened to join the ongoing nationwide health workers' strike from July 29 .
This is after issuing a seven-day strike notice with a list of grievances.
The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives said its members will withdraw services in all county health facilities unless the government resolves issues including the permanent employment of universal health coverage staff, delayed career progression, a new collective bargaining agreement and the implementation of previous labour deals.
The latest notice comes as thousands of UHC workers continue their strike, piling pressure on both the national and county governments over who should bear responsibility for employing and paying the workers.
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