Nurses Defy Court Orders: “No Going Back to Work” as Panyako Turns Up Heat on Government
By Jeff Kizzilah Digital Editor
The Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) has vowed to continue its ongoing nationwide strike, rejecting calls to resume duty despite court orders directing striking health workers to return to work.
Speaking during a press briefing on Saturday, KNUN Secretary General Seth Panyako maintained that nurses will not return to work until the government implements agreements reached under the 2017 return-to-work formula.
“Up to now, the return-to-work formula of 2017 has never been implemented by the current government,” Panyako said.
The union argues that other workers involved in the 2017 labour disputes have had their agreements honoured and arrears paid, questioning why similar commitments made to nurses remain unresolved.
Panyako accused the government, the Council of Governors (CoG), the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and the courts of frustrating nurses’ efforts to have the agreements implemented.
He acknowledged that the union was aware of the potential legal consequences of defying court orders but said KNUN was prepared to appear before the courts and defend its position.
“We are therefore, as law-abiding citizens, ready to appear in court and ready to tell the court that we want to take the punishment that might be meted out to us if that is what will mean nurses of this country can be respected.”»
Panyako delivered a defiant closing message, insisting that the union would not abandon the industrial action.
“Otherwise, there is no going back to work,” he said.
The prolonged strike has continued to affect operations in public health facilities, with patients facing disruptions in access to healthcare services.
Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) on Friday advised patients seeking treatment for non-emergency cases to consider alternative health facilities as the nurses’ strike continued to affect services.
The standoff now places the government, KNUN and the courts at a critical crossroads, with the union insisting that implementation of past agreements must come before nurses return to duty.
