The students were drawn from ten universities, including both public and private institutions.
“This action violates the Nursing Council Act and the Public Service Commission guidelines,” the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
The Ministry described the move as unethical and a direct threat to the integrity of Kenya’s healthcare system.
“The CEO of the Nursing Council of Kenya, Lister Onsongo, has been suspended with immediate effect,” the statement read.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale during a meeting with Governors on May 6, 202
In her place, Ann Mukuna, the Director of Standards and Compliance, has been appointed as acting CEO.
The Ministry also issued tough directives to the affected students:
“All internship letters issued to the 42 BSc Nursing students have been revoked. The students are required to vacate their duty stations immediately,” the Ministry ordered.
“The Ministry cannot condone any breach of integrity in healthcare training. The sanctity of patient care begins with proper training and lawful deployment,” said CS Duale.
The announcement comes just weeks after the launch of the 2025/2026 internship program, which included 6,484 interns, among them 2,098 nursing officers.
“All individuals found culpable—whether within the Ministry, the Nursing Council, or the universities—will face full accountability,” the statement added.
