The Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) has threatened to call a nationwide strike after more than 20 nurses were attacked during a peaceful protest in Siaya County on Tuesday, 30, 2025.
The nurses had gathered outside the county government headquarters to demand better working conditions when they were assaulted by a group of unidentified men.
According to union officials, at least two nurses were hospitalized, while others were treated for injuries and later discharged.
KNUN Deputy Secretary General Maurice Opetu condemned the violence, calling Siaya “an unsafe place for health workers.” He demanded a public apology from Governor James Orengo and called on Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to arrest and prosecute those behind the attack.
“We are advising our members not to step into any Siaya County premises until justice is done,” Opetu said. “We are relaunching the strike, and the governor must come out and apologise.”
Opetu was joined by Collins Otieno Ajwang’, the President of the National Nurses Association of Kenya, who declared the governor’s office compound a crime scene. He insisted that justice must be served for the nurses who were injured.
KNUN National Trustee Henry Adolwa accused county officials of hiring the attackers. He warned that if quick action is not taken, the union will call for a nationwide strike in solidarity with Siaya nurses.
“The goons were hired to harm our nurses, and we cannot take it lightly,” Adolwa said. “If nothing is done, we will escalate this to the entire country.”
KNUN Siaya branch Secretary Kennedy Hamisi confirmed the injuries, noting that over 20 nurses were attacked, with two admitted to hospital.
The incident has sparked outrage in the health sector and raised fears of a national health crisis if nurses down tools across the country. The union is now awaiting a response from the Siaya County government and the police before deciding on the next steps.
