Governors have ordered striking nurses to go back to work, declaring their three-month long strike illegal.

The Council of Governors (CoG) gave the nurses until Friday next week to resume work or lose their jobs.

Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok, the CoG Chairman, said nurses who will resume duty before the Friday deadline will not be penalized.

Nanok insisted the nurses’ Collective Bargaining Agreement cannot be implemented now due to financial constraints.

The CoG boss was speaking after a consultative meeting between governors and Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu, Salaries and Remunerations Commission chief executive officer Anne Gitau and Public Service Commission chairperson Prof Margaret Kobia.

However, governors have agreed pay all unpaid salaries and pledged to ensure negotiations continue until an acceptable CBA is reached.

In a quick rejoinder, nurses union chairman Joseph Ngwasi vowed the striking nurses will not resume duty until the CBA is fully implemented, declaring the industrial action legitimate.

Despite the recent industrial actions that have rocked the health sector, Nanok insisted that health services will remain a county function.