Machakos Nurses Union Officials with County officials during a press briefing to call of Strike. Photo Virginia Siebela 
By Virginia Siebela
Hospitals across Machakos County are finally set to return to normal after nurses ended their two-week strike that had left patients stranded and health services in disarray.
For 14 tense days, corridors of once-busy public hospitals echoed with silence. Mothers seeking maternity care were turned away, patients on long-term treatment struggled to access medication, and emergencies were redirected to far-off facilities.
“I had to rush my child to a private clinic in Kangundo, and the bill almost drained me,” said one worried parent outside Machakos Level Five Hospital. “We just hope the nurses never have to down their tools again.”
The strike, which began on August 8, was driven by frustration over unpaid allowances, delayed loan deductions, lack of promotions, and what nurses described as years of neglect.
But after marathon negotiations this week, the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) and the county government struck a truce. The strike has been suspended for 90 days, with nurses instructed to resume duty within 48 hours.
KNUN Machakos branch secretary Michael Saka said the agreement addressed key grievances.
“The county government has committed to clear all outstanding loan deductions, implement the SRC salary increments by September 30, and promote nurses who have served more than seven years within two weeks,” he said.
In a significant win, nurses’ monthly allowances will rise from KSh 10,000 to KSh 25,000, and the long-delayed Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will finally be implemented.
Saka reassured members that none would face disciplinary action for participating in the strike.
County Secretary Muya Ndambuki, who represented the county government, emphasized the administration’s commitment to improving healthcare services.
He revealed that more promotions are planned in the 2026/2027 financial year, and clarified that the recently advertised 500 nursing positions are part of normal recruitment, not linked to the strike.
For patients and their families, the truce could not have come sooner. At Machakos Level Five, relief was evident as patients began trickling back in for care.
Health workers, too, expressed cautious optimism. “We love our patients, but we also need fair treatment,” said one nurse who requested anonymity. “This deal gives us hope, but we’ll be watching to see if the county keeps its word.”
As services resume, the strike has left behind one clear lesson: without nurses, the backbone of healthcare, hospitals are little more than empty shells.
