Kenya’s Council of Governors announced on Tuesday, September 8, that it had reached a preliminary deal with the country’s nurses’ representatives to end a nationwide strike that has disrupted public hospitals for more than six weeks.
The agreement, announced in Nairobi by Council of Governors Chairman Ahmed Abdullahi, still requires formal approval before nurses can return to work.
The deal comes after weeks of tense negotiations over pay, allowances and working conditions. Among the measures included in the proposed settlement are improvements to the risk allowance and the uniform allowance.
For the nurses’ union, the agreement represents an important step toward addressing long-standing concerns over employment conditions, promotions and the implementation of previous collective bargaining commitments.
At the same time, the prolonged industrial action has placed considerable pressure on Kenya’s public healthcare system. Hospitals have faced major disruptions, while doctors have reported heavier workloads as they attempt to cover some of the services normally provided by nurses.
Health professionals have warned that this situation cannot continue indefinitely, particularly as the strike has already lasted more than forty days.
The dispute also comes at a sensitive moment for the country’s health sector. Just hours before the agreement was announced, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) gave the authorities seven days to resolve the nurses’ dispute.
Failing that, the doctors’ union warned that it could launch its own nationwide strike, potentially creating another major crisis within the healthcare system.
For now, however, the proposed agreement offers a possible way out of the standoff. Its formal signing will be crucial, as the nurses have previously rejected calls to return to work without clear guarantees. If the deal is finalized, it could ease the pressure on public hospitals and prevent the current dispute from developing into a broader confrontation involving other healthcare workers.
The coming hours will therefore be decisive. Authorities and union representatives must finalize the agreement and clarify when nurses will resume their duties, bringing an end to one of Kenya’s most prolonged healthcare disputes in recent years.
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