Relief as nurses strike is called off

The three-week long countrywide nurses strike has been called off.

This was announced on Tuesday morning by the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Secretary General Seth Panyako (KNUN) after he was summoned to court.

The announcement brings to an end the strike that has seen the medical practitioners stay away from hospitals since February 4.

Panyako who had been summoned to appear in person in court for disobeying court orders said that he had not been served with the order directing him to call of the strike.

“We are saying that we respect the rule of law and if there was any perception that we said we will not honour the court orders, that was being misquoted,” said Mr. Panyako after he left the court.

“We have always been strong saying we have not been served and the moment we came across those court orders, we sent to the officials and the officials suspended the strike on the ground.”

After confirming that the strike had been called off, Justice Nelson Oboudha gave Mr. Panyako an earful for disobeying court orders.

Justice Oboudha directed him to obey court orders in future. “You stand discharged by the fact that you called off the (nurses) strike.”