Nurses strike paralyses services at Kenyatta National Hospital

Nurses at Kenyatta National Hospital have gone on strike, bringing services at the country’s largest referral facility to a near standstill and leaving patients stranded, in a long-running dispute over unremitted salary deductions.

The industrial action, led by the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) officials, stems primarily from claims that statutory and third-party deductions, including loan repayments, pension contributions and insurance premiums, have not been remitted to the relevant institutions despite appearing on nurses’ payslips.

Union officials say the issue has persisted for months, pushing many nurses into financial distress, noting that they are not going to resume work until their grievances are heard and addressed.

“If the management won’t solve our issues, then we will move to the Ministry of Health, and if we are not heard there, we will go to the state house. We won’t go back to work until we are heard,’’ said KNUN branch secretary Linus Khanate.

According to him, some members have been listed with credit reference bureaus or subjected to aggressive loan recoveries, even though deductions were already made from their salaries.

“Our payslips show these deductions every month, but the money is not reaching the institutions. As a result, some of our members are being listed with credit reference bureaus or having their salaries fully absorbed by loan recoveries,’’ Khanate said. 

He added that the consequences have been severe and immediate for affected staff. 

“You go to the bank and find your salary has been taken because loans are in arrears. Yet the deductions were already made. They call it a delay; we call it default. Our members are suffering penalties, and some cannot access credit because of this,’’ he said.

The nurses also decried poor medical cover, saying that they are unable to get specialised care at the facility.

“It is disappointing that we cannot get the same quality services we provide. We can’t see specialists because our cover is poor. We can’t access certain drugs ad the excuse we are given is that our cover does not cover that,’’ 

The union maintains that repeated attempts to resolve the matter through dialogue with hospital management and government agencies have yielded little progress, prompting the decision to down tools.

“We have engaged them for months, but nothing has changed. Our members are now unable to meet basic needs because of errors they did not cause,’’ Khanate said. 

While acknowledging other concerns such as delayed promotions, staffing shortages and inadequate medical cover, KNUN insists that the failure to remit deductions remains the central grievance.

Hospital management, however, has dismissed claims of systemic failure, attributing the delays to cash flow timing rather than non-remittance.

KNH Chief Executive Officer Dr Richard Lesiyampe said all salaries had been paid up to March 2026 and that remittances were largely up to date, with only recent deductions still within what he described as acceptable processing timelines.

“All salaries have been paid up to March, and all remittances up to February have been made. What remains is for March, which is still within the acceptable processing period,” Lesiyampe said. 

He explained that the hospital relies heavily on reimbursements from the Social Health Authority, which are typically disbursed mid-month, creating a temporary lag of about two weeks.

“That gap of about 14 days is what creates the perception of non-remittance. It is not that the hospital is not meeting its obligations, but rather that there is a timing issue in cash flow,’’ he said. 

Lesiyampe urged nurses to resume duty, emphasising that negotiations were still ongoing. 

“We had agreed to continue discussions later this month. Dialogue remains the most effective way to resolve these issues,’’ he said.

The dispute also touches on concerns over pension contributions. Hospital management acknowledged that the pension scheme has faced long-term underfunding but said a structured recovery plan is in place.

“We are addressing the pension deficit systematically. There is a six-year recovery plan, and current retirees are being paid,” Lesiyampe said. 

Union officials, however, remain unconvinced, warning that the continued delays and underfunding risk undermining workers’ long-term financial security.

“This is not just about today’s salaries. It is about the future of these nurses. If pensions are not properly funded, then we are creating a bigger crisis down the line,’’ said Purity Kagwiria, KNUN branch treasurer.

As the standoff continues, the hospital has moved to cushion patients from the impact by deploying management staff and other personnel to critical departments.

“We have put in place contingency measures to ensure that essential services continue. Patient care remains our priority,’’ Lesiyampe said. 

Nevertheless, the strike has already begun to affect operations, with reports of delays and reduced services in several units.

Until a resolution is reached, patients and healthcare workers alike remain caught in a standoff that underscores the fragile balance between service delivery and staff welfare in the country’s largest referral hospital.