The Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Bungoma branch has officially suspended its three-week-long strike, bringing relief to residents of the county. This comes after successful negotiations between the nurses’ union and the Bungoma County Executive, led by Health & Sanitation CECM Carolyne Makali.
The strike, which had paralyzed health services across all county health facilities, was called off following an agreement to address key issues raised by the nurses. The union officials, headed by Mr. David Wamalwa, the KNUN Bungoma Secretary, agreed to halt the strike after the county government confirmed their commitment to implement the demands put forward.
The resolution was made possible through direct engagement between the Health Executive and the union leadership, with the union acknowledging the executive’s willingness to address the issues at hand. CECM Carolyne Makali expressed gratitude to the union leaders for their decision to suspend the strike, which had severely impacted public health services in the region.
“We apologize to the members of the public for the interruption of services. We assure you that we are working on the issues raised and are committed to avoiding any future service disruptions,” said Makali, as she urged the public to continue visiting health facilities as normal, now that services have resumed.
The following agreements were reached between the Bungoma County Government and the nurses’ union:
- Promotion, Re-designation, and Confirmation – The process of promotion and re-designation of nurses is currently underway at various stages.
- Health Comprehensive Insurance Cover – Britam Insurance has resumed its services, providing nurses with comprehensive health coverage.
- Uniform and Allowances – All nurses will receive their uniform and other allowances as per the applicable government circulars.
- Protection from Victimization – There will be no victimization of staff who participated in the strike, ensuring their rights are upheld.
- Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism – An Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism will be employed to handle and resolve emerging issues, ensuring a peaceful work environment.
The union has urged its members to return to duty within the next 24 hours to restore full service delivery across Bungoma’s health facilities.
The signing of the agreement was attended by key officials, including Chief Officer Dr. Magrina Mayama, CDH Dr. Caleb Wanambisi, and other health officers.
