CoG urges nurses to end strike, says 2017 CBA was signed under duress
Abdullahi, who is also the Wajir Governor, said county governments cannot commit to implementing an agreement whose financial implications cannot be sustained within available resources.
Nairobi, Kenya — The Council of Governors (CoG) has called on nurses to halt their ongoing strike, with Chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi declaring the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was signed under pressure, never taken effect, and is not financially viable. Abdullahi, who is also Wajir Governor, stressed that county governments cannot pledge to uphold an agreement lacking sustainable funding.
He pleaded for nurses to resume work so negotiations over their pending grievances could proceed, as the nationwide strike continues to disrupt health services. The nurses insist they will not return to work until crucial demands, such as implementing the 2017 return-to-work formula, finalizing the current CBA, setting career progression guidelines, and providing permanent and pensionable terms for Universal Health Coverage workers, are met.
Abdullahi has previously supported the governors' stance on hiring UHC workers, arguing that counties require a stable funding mechanism before committing to permanent and pensionable terms. “We agree UHC staff should be PnP. What we're saying is the money must be perpetual,” Abdullahi stated in a prior comment on the dispute. The CoG has advocated for ongoing negotiations to finalize a new CBA, rather than resorting to industrial action.
The nurses' strike, initiated on July 29, has impacted healthcare services nationwide, leading to complaints about treatment delays. The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) maintains the strike will persist until the agreed-upon terms are implemented. The union's demands include the implementation of the 2017 return-to-work agreement, the completion and execution of the nurses' CBA, the adoption of career progression guidelines, and the inclusion of UHC workers in permanent and pensionable roles.
The dispute has placed pressure on county governments to find a resolution to their ongoing conflicts with nurses, heightening concerns over the strike's negative impact on patients. The CoG's latest plea comes after Deputy President Kithure Kindiki also urged governors and the nurses' union to swiftly resolve the disagreement, warning that prolonged healthcare service disruptions could impede Kenya's development goals.
Kindiki urged both parties to prioritize dialogue and find a solution that addresses nurses' concerns while restoring normal healthcare services. The ongoing standoff has left the CoG and the nurses' union under increased pressure to reach a negotiated settlement, with patients forced to endure the consequences of the prolonged industrial action.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
