Nurses’ strike: Mbarire reveals planned Ruto talks to end crisis

Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire announced that the Council of Governors, in coordination with the National Government, will hold talks on Monday, September 7, 2026, with President William Ruto and other national leaders. The objective is to resolve the ongoing nurses' strike that has been disrupting healthcare services nationwide. Mbarire highlighted that the negotiations will address the issues arising from the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which created financial obligations that counties found challenging to meet due to insufficient funding.

During a press conference in Embu on Saturday, September 5, 2026, Mbarire stated that the nurses' union was consulted regarding the 2017 CBA, as it was signed prior to the 2017 elections with commitments for additional resources to implement its provisions. However, the agreement was not fulfilled, leading to the current crisis.

She emphasized that the strike, now in its 37th day, has resulted in a significant number of maternal and perinatal deaths, with the National Nurses Association of Kenya (NNAK) reporting 75 maternal deaths and 458 perinatal deaths last month.

NNAK President Collins Ajwang warned that the strike has become a serious public health and patient safety concern. The association noted that nurses constitute nearly 70% of Kenya's healthcare workforce and are crucial to service delivery in all 47 counties. Nursing students and trainees are also affected, as they rely on public hospitals for practical experience during their medical and clinical training.

Critics, such as Runyenjes MP Muchangi Karemba, have urged leaders to resolve the dispute, noting that the ordinary Kenyan public is bearing the brunt of the disruption. Karemba highlighted that patients are being forced to seek medical treatment in private facilities when public hospitals are affected. The Council of Governors and the national government are expected to utilize the upcoming talks to find a lasting solution to address nurses' grievances and prevent further disruptions to healthcare services across the country.