Kenyan nurses have boycotted work in some parts of the country in protest over what they say is a breach of a collective bargaining agreement that they previously signed with the government, according to Daily Nation.
The Kenya Nation Union of Nurses (Knun) had directed all it 45,000 members to strike on Monday morning until the CBA is signed and implemented.
Services stalled in Kakamega and Vihiga counties as the health workers kept off work.
In Vihiga, all nursing services were paralysed as the caregivers met at Vihiga County Referral Hospital in Mbale and officially launched their boycott.
Patients were stranded at various health facilities, with many being caught unaware by the industrial action.
Kakamega Knun branch chairman Renson Bulunya and his Vihiga counterpart Caleb Maloba separately declared the start of the strike.
They said they want effected the CBA agreement that awarded each nurse a Sh12,000 allowance beginning January this year, an amount that was expected to rise to Sh20,000 in July.
“The government promised to sign the treaty in December last year but they have reneged on the promise,” said Mr Bulunya.
Mr Maloba said the government had failed to register the CBA in court and implement it.
“County governments have reneged on this and yet the implementation span was set for March 2. This is June, three months later. We will only resume duty after the CBA is implemented.”
