Governors demand resources before absorbing UHC staff

COG led by Ahmed Abdullahi addressing the media on Health workers devolution. [Jenipher Wachie, Standard]

The Council of Governors (CoG) has accused the Ministry of Health of attempting to shift blame to counties over delays in absorbing staff under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme.

In a statement issued after an extraordinary council meeting on September 1, CoG chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi said counties remain committed to strengthening healthcare delivery but will only take over UHC staff once adequate resources are provided.

“The Ministry cannot alter the contracts of UHC staff without the involvement of county governments. Counties are amenable to employing the verified staff once resources are duly provided and previous obligations settled,” Abdullahi said.

The governors are demanding Sh7.7 billion to cover salaries in line with SRC-approved scales, and Sh9.4 billion for gratuity payments owed to staff under contractual terms.

They also insisted on a joint verification exercise before the transition can begin.

On labour unrest in the health sector, the council acknowledged the grievances raised by health workers’ unions but appealed for patience as counties work on solutions.

At the same time, the CoG urged the national government to provide resources to implement return-to-work agreements.

The governors also criticised the Public Service Commission (PSC) for approving career guidelines for health cadres without consulting county governments, warning that such decisions have major financial implications on devolved units.

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At the meeting, the CoG also raised concern over the outstanding salary reviews for county workers, noting that while the national government implemented the FY 2024/25 salary review for its employees, counties were excluded due to lack of funds.

The governors are now demanding an additional Sh4.7 billion to facilitate the reviews.

Further, the governors faulted the mandatory rollout of the electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system, terming it hasty and disruptive.

They said the system was rolled out nationally despite being piloted in only three counties and without adequate training or legal alignment.

“The e-GP system, as currently implemented, undermines the distinct status of county governments as provided in the Constitution,” Abdullahi stated, calling on the Treasury to withdraw the directive until proper consultations and capacity building are undertaken.

The CoG concluded by urging the two levels of government to embrace continuous consultation before issuing directives that directly affect county service delivery.