Kenya's government has finalized an agreement to hire all nurses on a contract basis to fill vacancies in national and county governments, following a prolonged strike by healthcare workers.
The decision was announced at the seventh National and County Governments Coordinating Summit held at Sagana State Lodge, where Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki and Council of Governors chairperson Wycliffe Oparanya confirmed that nursing positions resulting from normal attrition would be filled through contractual arrangements.
The agreement aims to resolve ongoing pay disputes between health workers and authorities, with Kariuki and Oparanya expressing confidence that court-mandated negotiations would prevent future strikes. However, disciplinary actions will proceed against nurses who ignored a court order to resume work on February 15, 2019.
The summit also directed the Public Service Commission to develop standardized contracts for health workers, incorporating input from the Salaries and Remunerations Commission. This follows a February 4, 2019, strike by nurses across all 47 counties demanding improved salaries, uniforms, and promotions.
The strike was temporarily suspended by the courts for 60 days, with President Uhuru Kenyatta ordering staff to return to duty or face termination—orders some nurses disregarded.
