Ministry of Health officials and Council of Governors during a joint meeting on UHC staff. Photo/Courtesy
By Daisy Okiring
The Council of Governors (CoG) has accused the Ministry of Health of undermining devolution in the management of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff and warned that counties will not proceed with their absorption without adequate funding.
In a statement issued after an extraordinary meeting on September 1, the governors said the ministry was misleading the public into believing that counties were delaying the employment of UHC staff. They stressed that health is a devolved function and that the national government cannot alter contracts or transfer staff without county involvement.
Dispute over UHC staff transfer
The CoG stated that at least Ksh7.7 billion must be allocated to cover staff salaries in line with Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) scales before counties can take responsibility. The governors also demanded that a pending gratuity bill of Ksh9.4 billion for contract-based health workers be settled first.
They further insisted that the ongoing verification of UHC staff must be validated jointly and officially documented before the transition begins. “Counties are amenable to employing the verified UHC staff once resources are duly provided and previous obligations settled by the national government,” the statement read.
Read More: Governors clash with ministry of health over UHC staff absorption
Salary reviews and labour unrest
The governors also raised concern over growing agitation from health workers’ unions, saying they acknowledged the validity of their grievances but urged patience to avoid strikes that could disrupt county services. They called on the national government to release resources for the implementation of Return-to-Work Agreements with the unions.
The CoG criticized the Public Service Commission (PSC) for approving career progression guidelines for various health cadres without consulting county governments, who are the actual employers. They argued that the guidelines carry heavy financial implications that were not factored into county budgets.
On salaries, the governors accused the National Treasury of sidelining counties during the 2024/25 pay review. While national government employees benefited from the adjustments, county staff were excluded. According to the CoG, implementing the review for county employees will require at least Ksh4.7 billion. They demanded an increase in the equitable share of revenue to facilitate the adjustment.
Read More: Ministry of Health shuts down over 500 hospitals, revokes 456 licenses
Governors reject rushed e-procurement rollout
The press statement also faulted the mandatory roll-out of the electronic government procurement system (e-GP), saying the directive by the National Treasury was rushed and poorly executed. Only three counties took part in the pilot phase, yet the system was rolled out nationwide without addressing gaps identified during testing.
The governors said the lack of proper training and sensitization had paralyzed procurement in several counties, particularly in the health sector, and warned that the system undermines the autonomy of devolved governments guaranteed by the Constitution.
They called on the Treasury to immediately withdraw its circular enforcing the e-GP system until consultations, legal alignment, and capacity-building are carried out.
Council of Governors Chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi emphasized the need for collaboration between the two levels of government, warning that unilateral directives threaten service delivery. “As county governments, we remain committed to upholding the principles of governance under Article 10 of the Constitution. We must have proper consultations to ensure that devolution is respected,” he said.
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