Nurses to Call Off Strike After Reaching Deal with Govt, Ruto Confirms: 'Congratulations'

Nurses are set to call off their five-week nationwide strike after reaching a deal with the Council of Governors The agreement provides for KSh 8,000 in risk allowance and KSh 5,000 in uniform allowance, with a review planned for 2027 President William Ruto congratulated the parties on the resolution as KMPDU had threatened to join the industrial action Nurses are set to return to work after the Council of Governors (CoG) reached an agreement with their union, potentially bringing an end to a five-week nationwide strike that has disrupted services in public health facilities. President William Ruto hinted that nurses' strike could soon end. Photos: KTN, William Ruto. Source: Facebook The deal was announced by CoG chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi during the National and County Government Co-ordinating Summit at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, September 8. Abdullahi said the agreement, reached through the council's health committee, includes increases in nurses' risk and uniform allowances. Under the proposed deal, nurses will receive an additional KSh8,000 in risk allowance and KSh5,000 in uniform allowance, representing a combined increase of KSh13,000. Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner ;) 'Through the efforts of our health committee, I can report that we finally have a deal, provided they do not change their minds before the agreement is signed. We offered them an increase in their risk allowance to KSh8,000 and a further KSh5,000 increase in their uniform allowance,' Abdullahi said. He added that the two sides had agreed to review the allowances again in 2027, with the signing ceremony expected to take place after the summit. 'We agreed that we will review these allowances next year. The signing ceremony will be held after the summit, and we hope the nurses will get back to work,' he said. The agreement is expected to restore services in public hospitals that have been affected by the prolonged industrial action. Ruto hails nurses' strike resolution President William Ruto welcomed the agreement, saying the resolution would help restore industrial harmony in the health sector and improve service delivery. 'Again, congratulations on the resolution of the nurses' strike. I am told (Mombasa governor) Abdullswamad Sheriff is in a hurry to go and sign it off. We need industrial harmony in that space to better serve the people of Kenya,' Ruto said. The president also addressed the issue of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff, welcoming progress towards resolving their outstanding concerns. 'I must also commend the progress on the matter we discussed during the Health Summit concerning UHC staff. I am very happy that this has been resolved,' Ruto said. He further welcomed the CoG's request for the government to settle outstanding gratuities and other pending matters, saying the move would facilitate the absorption of UHC staff into county governments. Why did KMPDU threatened to join nurses' strike? The development comes a day after the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) issued a seven-day notice over the nurses' dispute. The doctors' union warned that its members could also down their tools if the prolonged dispute was not resolved, citing disruptions in public hospitals and the additional workload placed on doctors and other healthcare workers. Their demands included implementation of the 2017 Return-to-Work Agreement, improvements in allowances and working conditions, and the conclusion and implementation of the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). They also called for the permanent and pensionable employment of UHC staff, career progression and promotions, improved remuneration and the reinstatement of 46 nurses dismissed by Kisii County. Source: TUKO.co.ke