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Trans Nzoia Nurses Suspend Strike as County Government Commits to Resolve Issues

Nurses in Trans Nzoia County have postponed their strike for two months to allow time for the implementation of frameworks addressing their concerns, as agreed upon in discussions with county government officials.

The arbitration between the county’s branch of the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) and county government officials, with the participation of the county public service board, was led by Trans Nzoia labor officer Tawfiq Nalianya.

County KNUN chairman Edward Cheruiyot announced that their plan to disrupt the public health sector has been put on hold following a commitment from County Secretary Truphosa Amere to implement an action plan addressing the raised issues.

“Regarding the replacement of nurses, the county public service board has committed to initiating the process of filling vacant positions competitively by September, in order to alleviate burnout among our colleagues,” said Mr. Cheruiyot.

Cheruiyot highlighted that chronic understaffing has caused significant burnout among nurses, and the union demands the implementation of a plan to hire 88 new nurses to address this shortage.

Concerning the promotion and redesignation of staff, the county secretary stated that these matters will be addressed once the administration completes the ongoing staff rationalization policy, which aims to standardize the process.

“We initiated the staff rationalization process across all departments to establish a more structured approach to staff roles and promotions, which will create clearer career development pathways,” said Ms. Amere.

The nurses also urged the county government to ensure the timely stocking of drugs and non-pharmaceuticals, requesting that supplies be delivered directly to facilities via a pull system to maintain a steady supply of essential medical resources.

“We have agreed for the renegotiation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to address disparities in medical coverage and to end the practice of unit transfers and favoritism used to suppress dissenting voices,” said the chairman.

The county government has pledged to review the organogram in collaboration with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and the Public Service Commission. This review aims to improve the organizational structure and support the needs of the nurses.
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