Healthcare crisis looms as Machakos nurses begin strike

Secretary General of Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Machakos County chapter, Michael Saka. [Erastus Mulwa/Standard]

A major crisis in the public healthcare system is looming after nurses announced the withdrew their services on August 7th, 2025.

Addressing the media Thursday evening at Machakos level 5 hospital, Secretary General of Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Machakos County chapter, Michael Saka, said the nursing fraternity took the action after talks with the employer, the county government, collapsed.

Saka said the strike comes into effect following a nationwide notice issued on May 29th this year in which nurses are pushing for, among other issues, implementation of Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), promotions, non-remittance of statutory deductions and con-compliance with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) circular, 2024.

"In 2024, SRC published a circular on the increment of our salaries, and to date, it has not been effected. We have a written agreement with the county government, signed by the county secretary and the chair of the county public service board. As we speak, they are disowning this agreement that stipulates our roadmap to promotions," said Saka.

He accused the county government of shifting the blame to the previous regime whenever issues of implementation of working terms arose. "It should be noted that we have the right to promotion. Promotions should cease to be termed as a favour. As we speak, our notice for industrial action comes into effect this midnight, and from that time, there will be no services," he said.

Saka further accused the county government of failure to remit loan deductions owed to banks, a trend he noted had ruined the credit score of all affected workers.

"We have had numerous meetings with our employer, and we are surprised to this day, our loans are in arrears by three months, and we are not even sure whether the deductions will be remitted this month," he said.