Nairobi Health Workers Issue Seven-Day Strike Notice Over Unpaid Salaries and Broken Agreements

By James Nyaigoti,

Health workers in Nairobi County have issued a seven-day strike notice, citing unpaid salaries, stalled promotions, and what they describe as persistent neglect by the Nairobi City County Government.
In a joint press statement released on Thursday, unions representing nurses, clinical officers, laboratory technologists, pharmaceutical technologists, and nutritionists said the county has failed to honor agreements signed over the last two years, plunging the health sector into crisis.

“We have held countless meetings and signed multiple agreements, yet nothing has been implemented. The employer has normalized ignoring workers’ welfare,” said Boaz Omuga, a representative of the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM).
The unions disclosed that December 2025 salaries remain unpaid, despite other counties paying their health workers on time. They further accused county leadership of failing to communicate or explain the delays.
“To date, no responsible county officer has come out to explain why our members have not been paid. This silence is unacceptable and demeaning,” said Stephen Mutuma of the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO).

The statement also highlights long-standing grievances including delayed promotions, failure to implement Public Service Commission–approved schemes of service, delayed confirmation into permanent and pensionable terms, and critical staff shortages caused by unfilled vacancies.
According to Denis Odor of the Kenya Union of Medical Laboratory Officers (KNUNMLD), the situation has been worsened by poor human resource management.
“The health sector is destabilized by clear misguidance. Critical human resource functions are being handled by unqualified personnel, and despite raising these concerns repeatedly, no corrective action has been taken,” Odor said.

The unions also faulted the county for failing to remit statutory deductions, implement the SRC 2024 salary increments, conclude pending Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), and settle gratuity payments owed to former Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) staff.
Health workers further complained of unstable medical insurance cover and the non-implementation of approved staff establishments and professional career guidelines.
“This is not just about salaries; it is about dignity, career growth, and the ability to serve the people of Nairobi effectively,” said Beatrice Machia of the Kenya Union of Nutritionists and Dietitians (KUNAD).

The unions confirmed that the strike notice took effect on January 8, 2026, warning that if the county fails to meet their demands within seven days, all county health workers will withdraw their labor starting January 16, 2026 at 12:01 a.m.
“We regret the inconvenience this may cause the public, but our members cannot continue working under these conditions,” said Kevin Gichanga, a union representative. “We urge residents to make alternative arrangements should the county fail to act.”
If the strike proceeds, public health services across Nairobi County are expected to be severely disrupted.

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