Nurses in Trans Nzoia have gone on strike after 50 days of unsuccessful negotiations with the county government.
The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) Trans Nzoia branch Secretary Edward Cheruyiot said the decision was triggered by what he termed as incompetence and deliberate stalling of negotiations by certain county officials and calling on Governor George Natembeya to dismiss them. "All 93 public health facilities in Trans Nzoia will remain closed until our demands are met.
We will not return to work until the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement is signed, salaries increased, promotions effected, and 850 nurses out of 2,300 hired to address the acute shortage," Cheruyiot said during a press briefing in Kitale.
The union also wants the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) circulars implemented, nursing service allowances increased, and Social Health Authority deductions remitted. Other grievances include the county government's failure to convert Universal Health Coverage (UHC) nurses from contractual terms to permanent and pensionable employment.
