Nurses’ unions and professional bodies have given Dadaab MP Farah Maalim and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula 72 hours to apologise over what they describe as demeaning remarks against the profession, warning of nationwide protests if the demand is not met.
The ultimatum follows remarks by Maalim on the floor of the House in which he reportedly questioned the suitability of nurses to hold senior managerial positions, arguing that they should be barred from serving as Chief Officers or Chief Executive Officers in level four, five and six hospitals.
In a widely circulated clip, he is said to have claimed that nurses lack the intellectual depth required for such roles and suggested their presence in management undermines other health professionals, while also referencing a personal case involving a doctor who allegedly faced difficulties reporting to a nurse in a leadership position.
Addressing the media in Kisumu on Sunday on behalf of multiple organisations, Kenya Progressive Nurses Association (KPNA) President Michael Nyongesa said the statements were reckless, ill-informed and a direct attack on the country’s healthcare system.
Nyongesa said the doctor in question who is a relative to the MP was trying to use unothodox means to secure a fellowship at Kenyatta National Hospital adding that the Chief Officer referred to who is a nurse acted professionally.
Two doctors from the county, he said, had already been taken for the fellowship.
Nyongesa said the MP’s remarks not only undermined the competence of nurses but also contradicted existing legal frameworks, citing a High Court ruling that affirmed the eligibility of nurses to hold administrative and managerial roles in health institutions.
“Nursing is a distinct, autonomous and noble profession with specialised roles that doctors simply cannot perform,” he said, adding that attempts to portray nurses as subordinate were outdated and harmful to collaborative healthcare delivery.
He also faulted the legislator for allegedly using Parliament to air personal grievances, insisting that professional appointments and training opportunities in the health sector are guided by strict procedures and merit.
National Nurses Union of Kenya President Collins Otieno warned that the nursing fraternity would not take the remarks lightly, defending the critical role nurses play in patient care across the country.
He said nurses are central to healthcare delivery, from assessment to treatment and follow-up, and accused the MP of disregarding the realities faced by Kenyans who depend on public health facilities.
Otieno further linked the controversy to broader systemic challenges, highlighting acute staffing shortages in the sector and questioning the lack of legislative action to address the crisis.
He also defended the Garissa Chief Officer who is a professional nurse cited in the debate, saying due process was followed in his appointment and no individual can override established policies for personal gain.
Vihiga KNUNM union secretary Noelle Khatika described the remarks as disrespectful, malicious and arrogant, urging the MP to retract them and issue an apology.
She pointed to the high level of academic and professional training among nurses, noting that many of them hold advanced degrees and occupy key leadership positions in the health sector.
Khatika warned that failure to apologise would see nurses mobilise and take action to defend their profession, including protests targeting Afya House.
Kenya National Union of Nurses and Midwives Secretary General Seth Panyako said demonstrations would proceed regardless of whether an apology is issued, signaling a looming confrontation.
He defended nurses’ leadership capacity, citing global examples where nurses hold top health positions, and accused Parliament of allowing abuse of privilege.
“We are going to mobilise nationwide demonstrations to Parliament and Afya House. We will defend our profession at all costs,” he said.
Panyako also called for greater representation of nurses in senior positions within the Ministry of Health, arguing that the profession forms the backbone of healthcare delivery in the country.
The unions warned that if the two leaders fail to respond within the stipulated 72 hours, nurses across the country will march to Parliament and Afya House in protest, escalating the standoff over what they term as an attack on their profession.
By Chris Mahandara
