Kenyan Court Orders Nurses to End Nationwide Strike

Justice Monica Mbaru of the Employment and Labour Court in Mombasa ordered nurses across Kenya's 47 counties to end a nationwide strike and return to work immediately. The strike, which began on July 29, 2026, was organized by the Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM) over delayed payments, pension terms, and the implementation of the 2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The court order followed a petition by the Mombasa County Government, which argued that the industrial action endangered patients and crippled public hospitals. Fadhil Maamum, CEO of the Mombasa County Service Board, testified that the strike was unlawful because statutory dispute resolution mechanisms had not been exhausted. Nurses who refuse to return to work face disciplinary action.

In response to the legal pressure and local negotiations, some regions have already seen a return to service. In Tharaka Nithi County, nurses resumed duty on August 6, 2026, after local officials showed goodwill regarding the promotion of 98 nurses and the confirmation of nine others to permanent terms. County Secretary Alex Muratha apologized for the service disruptions and thanked the nurses for their return.

Simultaneously, the Ministry of Labour and Employment appointed Raphael E. Tiktik as a conciliator to mediate the broader dispute. The union's national grievances include the failure to transition Universal Health Coverage nurses to permanent terms and the refusal of the Kisii County Government to reinstate 46 nurses dismissed in 2021.