Kenya National Union of Nurses calls off Monday strike

Health workers on strike demonstrate in Eldoret on September 15, 2014. Kenya National Union of Nurses has called off a nationwide strike set to start on November 23, 2014. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Justice Nzioki wa Makau stopped the strike until the case us heard on December 11.
  • Knun deputy national chairman Joseph Ngwasi said the country's public health sector would be driven to a crisis.

Kenya National Union of Nurses has called off a nationwide strike set to start Monday.

The move by the nurses union follows an order issued by the Industrial Court stopping the strike in a case filed by activist Okiya Omtata.

Justice Nzioki wa Makau stopped the strike until the case is heard on December 11.

“We respect the law, because this union was given to the nurses by the court, and if they suspend our industrial action we will respect the order and await the hearing," Knun Secretary General Seth Panyako said in Nairobi on Sunday.

The nurses had threatened to go on strike and gave the government notice over its failure to address pertinent issues facing the sector.

Knun officials last Wednesday said talks with the government had failed to reach any meaningful agreement and they would therefore embark on the boycott and down their tools in all public health facilities until their concerns are addressed.

Knun deputy national chairman Joseph Ngwasi said the country's public health sector would be driven to a crisis.

He said that for a long time, nurses in the country had been undermined adding that county governments should treat matters relating to health workers seriously.

In the case, Mr Omtata has sued the nurses union Attorney General, the Labour, Health and Devolution Principal Secretaries.