Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives (KNUNM): What It Does and What the 2026 Strike Won

The Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives, often called KNUN or KNUNM, represents nurses in county and national health facilities. In 2026 it led a nationwide strike that lasted about six weeks. Here’s what the union does and what the strike achieved.

Imagine five weeks of empty wards, worried patients and nurses outside the gates. Then an agreement is signed and everyone goes back to work within 24 hours. That was Kenya in 2026. Understanding what the union does helps make sense of why it happened.

This article is part of our guide: Nursing Councils, Associations and Unions Explained.

What the union does

• Negotiates collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with county governments and national employers
• Pushes for pay, allowances, promotions and staffing
• Represents members in disputes
• Speaks for nurses in national health debates

Why counties matter

Health services in Kenya are largely devolved to the 47 counties, so many disputes are negotiated with county governments through the Council of Governors.

The 2026 strike

Nurses began a nationwide strike on 29 July 2026 over pay and allowances. According to Kenyans.co.ke, the strike was called off on 9 September 2026 after the Council of Governors offered an extra Ksh8,000 risk allowance and Ksh5,000 uniform allowance, a combined Ksh13,000 increase. Secretary General Seth Panyako told nurses to return to work within 24 hours.

Union vs council

The union is not the regulator. The Nursing Council of Kenya registers and licenses nurses; union membership is voluntary.

But don’t strikes hurt patients most?

They can, and that is why strikes are usually a last resort, with emergency services expected to continue. Unions argue that chronic understaffing and unpaid allowances also harm patients, every day. Read both sides in our debate on whether nurses should strike.

Related: Should nurses be allowed to strike? · Council vs association vs union

Source: Kenyans.co.ke, “Nurses end 43-day strike after agreement with governors” (9 September 2026).