By Jameson
Health workers in Nairobi County have issued a seven day strike notice, citing persistent failures by the Nairobi City County Government to honour agreements, pay salaries on time, and address long standing human resource and welfare concerns in the health sector.
In a joint press statement issued on Friday, health unions including the National Union of Nurses and Midwives, the Kenya National Union of Medical Laboratory Officers, the Kenya Union of Clinical Officers, the Kenya National Union of Nutritionists and Dieticians, and the Kenya National Union of Pharmaceutical Technologists said December salaries had not been paid despite repeated engagements with the county administration over the past two years.
The unions expressed concern that no county official had publicly explained the salary delays, even as other counties continued to pay their health workers on time.
They accused the employer of ignoring signed return to work agreements and flouting established public service policies, actions they said had severely undermined staff morale and disrupted service delivery across county health facilities.
While acknowledging Nairobi County’s slogan as a city of hope, order, dignity and opportunities, the unions said health care workers had been stripped of dignity and hope due to poor labour practices and mismanagement within the county health department.
The unions further claimed that the sector had been destabilised by weak human resource leadership, alleging that an officer entrusted with managing human resource functions lacked the requisite qualifications. They said concerns over the appointment had been raised with the county government without any corrective action being taken.
Among the key grievances listed were the non implementation of signed return to work agreements, unfair and delayed promotions and redesignations for deserving staff in 2023 and 2024, and the continued disregard of Public Service Commission approved schemes of service and career frameworks.
Other concerns include delayed confirmation of staff into permanent and pensionable terms, failure to replace workers who have resigned, retired or died, leading to staff shortages and burnout, and delayed salary payments alongside non remittance of statutory deductions.
The unions also cited failure to implement the Salaries and Remuneration Commission 2024 salary increments, delays in concluding and adopting pending collective bargaining agreements, unpaid gratuities for former Nairobi Metropolitan Services staff, and an unstable and unreliable medical insurance cover.
They further faulted the county for failing to implement approved staff establishments and professional career guidelines, which they said remain critical to effective and sustainable service delivery.
As a result, the unions said they had issued a seven day strike notice effective January 8, 2026. They warned that if the county government fails to address the listed demands within the notice period, health workers will proceed with a strike from January 16, 2026 at 12.01 am.
“We will stay away from our work stations until all our demands are met,” the statement said.
The unions urged members of the public who rely on county health facilities to make alternative arrangements in advance, warning that services would be disrupted should the strike take effect.
