Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has defended her administration’s handling of the health sector, saying the county has invested massively in hiring and promoting health workers despite limited resources. Addressing the ongoing strike by nurses and midwives, the governor termed the industrial action as politicized and urged health workers to give dialogue a chance.
She noted that the Department of Health accounts for Ksh 4.2 billion – which is 39% of the county’s total recurrent budget, proof that health is a top priority for her government.
The strike, she said, was called by the Kenya Union of Nurses and Midwives, and although six out of seven demands raised by the union had been addressed, the contentious issue of long overdue promotions remained unresolved. She explained that promotions were being handled progressively based on available fiscal space.
“In the past three years, my administration has promoted 432 health care workers, including 132 nurses, at a cost of Ksh 19.08 million annually,” she said.
The county has also recruited hundreds of nurses in recent years:
2024 – 57 nurses hired at Ksh 56 million annually
2025 – 183 nurses employed to fill critical gaps at Ksh 180.4 million annually
February to May 2025 – 231 nurses promoted in common cadre and nearing retirement, costing Ksh 37 million annually
An additional 42 nurses are currently being recruited at Ksh 40.8 million annually
Governor Ndeti acknowledged that some nurses have stagnated for over seven years without promotion, adding that the remaining lot will be considered in the 2026–2027 financial year. She further noted that other county staff who have served 4–5 years are also due for progression, but the Public Service Board still lacks critical policies and manuals to guide succession and disciplinary processes.
She pointed to revenue growth in the health sector, which rose from Ksh 38 million in 2021/2022 to Ksh 771 million this year. However, the revenue generated accounts for only 5% of the total health budget, meaning the county still largely depends on equitable share allocations.
The governor appealed to striking nurses to consider the well-being of Machakos residents and return to work as dialogue continues.
“My government remains open to constructive engagement with union leadership to end the current impasse. I have instructed hospitals to engage unions on locum arrangements to ensure services continue to be offered,” she said.
Wavinya is now warning that the strike appears to have been infiltrated by political interests and asked union officials not to jeopardize essential services at the expense of the locals.
