Whenever healthcare workers down their tools, it has never been just a labour dispute, it is alway a national crisis. At Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), the country’s largest referral facility, the current strike continues to expose deep cracks in Kenya’s public healthcare system.
What is unfolding is not just about salaries or contracts. This is about trust, work environment sustainability, and the future of healthcare in Kenya.
KNH is not just any hospital. It is Kenya’s largest referral and teaching hospital, handling thousands of patients daily and serving as a lifeline for specialized treatment across the country. With a bed capacity of about 1,800, it’s often stretched far beyond that. The hospital is a critical pillar in the national health system. When services here are disrupted, the ripple effects are felt nationwide.
The Strike: What Triggered It?
The current strike by nurses and healthcare workers didn’t emerge overnight. It is the result of accumulated frustrations over several unresolved issues.
1. Delayed Statutory Remittances: At the center of the dispute is the delay in remitting statutory deductions such as pensions and third-party payments. While salaries have reportedly been paid up to March 2026, many workers claim they can not access their earnings because deductions are not being forwarded, locking their income in the banking system.
2. Pension and poor health insurance: Healthcare workers have raised concerns about difficulty in accessing pension benefits, creating anxiety over long-term financial security and sustainability.
3. Casualisation of Labour: One of the major grievances is the prolonged use of contract terms. Some nurses have reportedly worked on casual contracts for between 4 to 6 years without transitioning to permanent employment. This creates inequality, especially when newer hires reportedly earn more than long-serving staff.
4. Poor Working Conditions, Workers have also cited:
* Understaffing
* Lack of adequate medical cover
* Unpaid allowances and arrears.
Together, all these paint a picture of a workforce stretched thin and increasingly frustrated.
The Reality on the Ground
Despite reassurances from management, the strike has had visible consequences.
– Hundreds of nurses have downed tools
* Critical services have been disrupted
* Patients are experiencing delays and uncertainty
With over 1,200 nurses were reportedly involved in the strike, significantly affecting hospital operations.
Even a partial shutdown at KNH is enough to overwhelm other hospitals in Nairobi and beyond
