Kenyatta National Hospital, nurses and midwives sign new CBA

Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has sealed a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM). This agreement aims to standardize allowances and enhance working conditions for the hospital’s nurses. The signing occurred after a dispute over the previous 2021 CBA, which was deemed redundant and led to a nurses’ strike in April 2026.

During the signing, KNUN SG Seth Panyako emphasized that the new deal would elevate nurses’ welfare and align their remuneration with that of their counterparts at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH). He acknowledged that, while the hospital nurses currently lag behind, the agreement would bring them in line with MTRH nurses.

KNH is also investigating ways to assist staff in purchasing homes, such as through mortgage schemes. The hospital has already constructed around 100 houses in Kitengela using funds from its pension scheme. The union is seeking opportunities to facilitate nurses and staff in acquiring these houses.

The signing of this CBA comes amid ongoing nurses’ strikes in 2026, driven by demands for better pay, working conditions, promotions, adequate staffing, and the enforcement of earlier return-to-work agreements. In April 2026, KNH nurses walked out due to unresolved grievances, including the delayed implementation of an earlier CBA addendum, excessive workloads, inadequate medical coverage, and delayed payments for statutory and third-party deductions.

The strike was halted on April 14, 2026, following a return-to-work agreement between the hospital management and the union, with nurses resuming their duties the next day.

The April agreement included commitments to tackle workload pressures through additional hiring and locum services, improving medical cover, and converting eligible contract nurses into permanent roles with pension rights. It also incorporated a September 2025 CBA addendum into the 2025–2029 agreement. The signing process required the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights' approval, which specifically applied to KNH nurses and did not automatically extend to those employed by county governments.

This agreement follows a nationwide 43-day nurses’ strike that concluded on September 9, 2026, after the Kenya National Union of Nurses and the Council of Governors signed a return-to-work formula. The dispute centered on the non-implementation of the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement and demands for improved remuneration and working conditions.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights had raised concerns about the strike's impact on patients, noting 79 maternal, neonatal, and perinatal deaths between August 31 and September 2, 2026. The commission urged verification of these deaths and called for the swift restoration of essential health services. The September 2026 agreement marked a significant breakthrough, though the successful implementation of its commitments is crucial to averting further disruptions.