Kisumu, April 12 — A fresh dispute has emerged within Kenya’s nursing leadership after section of nurses sharply criticized the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) over its planned industrial action at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
The union, through its Secretary General Seth Panyako, announced that nurses at the country’s largest referral hospital will not report to work on Monday. Speaking to journalists in Kisumu on April 12, Panyako declared that “there will be no work,” citing delayed salaries, unpaid pensions, and the continued reliance on long-term casual employment for nurses.
The announcement has raised alarm over potential disruption of critical health services at KNH, which serves thousands of patients daily from across the country.
However, nurses who sought anonymity have strongly opposed the move, accusing Panyako of using the strike as a political tool rather than a genuine effort to address nurses’ welfare.
According to them, the KNUN leadership is attempting to leverage industrial action to settle political grievances following recent electoral developments.
They have alleged that Panyako is motivated by dissatisfaction linked to William Ruto, particularly after political setbacks in the Malava by-elections.
“This is not about nurses anymore; it is about politics,” they said, warning that such actions risk undermining public trust in the profession while putting patients’ lives in danger.
“Panyako wants to use KNH Nurses to settle scores with the President for his defeat in Malava. Diverting nurses attention from fear and failure to hold election in the nurses union.
He knows he will be defeated,” They added.
In hard hitting stance, the medics have allegedly observed that Panyako wants to settle political scores with the President by killing patients in the giant hospital.
“No formal strike notice has been issued by panyako.
He’s putting the jobs of KNH nurses in jeopardy,” Former Kenya National Nurses Association of Kenya warned
Despite the criticism, KNUN maintains that the strike is necessary to compel the government to address long-standing issues affecting nurses, including delayed remuneration and lack of job security. The union argues that previous negotiations have failed to yield meaningful progress.
Health sector stakeholders are now calling for urgent dialogue to avert a full-scale shutdown at KNH, as tensions between union leadership and former officials continue to escalate.