Services Paralysed At Kenyatta National Hospital As Nurses Go On Strike
Health Updated: 13 April 2026 12:15 EAT
Photo Credit:The Standard: Nurses at Kenyatta National Hospital have downed their tools, despite assurances that management is addressing their grievances.
Services at Kenyatta National Hospital were on Monday, April 13, 2026, paralysed after nurses downed their tools, triggering a major disruption at the country’s largest referral facility.
The strike, led by the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), saw hundreds of nurses withdraw their services, leaving patients stranded and critical departments understaffed.
Union Secretary General Seth Panyako confirmed the industrial action, stating that the decision was reached after prolonged frustrations over unresolved workplace grievances.
At the centre of the dispute are delayed remittances of statutory deductions, with nurses accusing the hospital management of failing to channel funds to relevant institutions, including banks and pension schemes.
According to the union, the delays have left many nurses in financial distress, with some unable to access their full salaries due to incomplete loan repayments and other deductions.
Pension concerns also featured prominently, with claims that some retired health workers have been unable to access their benefits, raising fears over the sustainability of the scheme.
In addition, nurses decried what they termed as unfair employment practices, including long-term reliance on casual contracts, with some staff reportedly serving for years without permanent and pensionable terms.
The heavy workload at the hospital was also cited, as staff shortages continue to pile pressure on the available workforce, forcing nurses to work under strenuous conditions.
KNUN officials said the situation had become untenable, prompting the drastic move to strike in a bid to push authorities into action.
The impact of the strike was immediately felt across the hospital, with outpatient services, admissions, and routine care significantly affected.
Patients and their families were left stranded, as the facility, which serves thousands daily from across the country, struggled to operate without its nursing staff.
The union has maintained that nurses will only resume duty once their concerns are addressed, even as pressure mounts on the government and hospital management to urgently resolve the crisis.
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FELIX MAKONA
FACT FINDER AND DATA DRIVEN JOURNALIST. DATA MINING AT IT'S BEST. GET FACTS RANGING FROM MATTERS DISABILITY AND INCLUSION, POLITICS, ECONOMY, SPORTS AND GENERAL NEWS AROUND THE WORLD