Governors contradict Duale on UHC staff absorption plan

Council of Governors (CoG) Health Committee chairperson Muthomi Njuki addressing the press in Nairobi on August 26th 2025. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

Governors have distanced themselves from a plan by the Ministry of Health to absorb at least 7,414 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff, as announced by Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Monday this week.

According to the Council of Governors Health Committee Chair, Muthomi Njuki, the county bosses were not consulted before the decision, despite being expected to implement the contracts agreed with the transferred health workers.

“The Council wishes to clarify that it does not concur with the Ministry of Health’s position expressed in the press statement. The press contradicts the previously agreed position between the National and County Governments,” said Governor Njuki.

In his statement, CS Duale stated that the Ministry had concluded a verification of the UHC staff payroll in an exercise that involved 7,629 employees. However, 215 were suspected to be ghost workers, or unqualified, and were promptly excluded from the final tally of 7,414.

However, governors have disputed this, saying that the verification report is yet to be validated before both levels of government can agree on the next steps.

“The report from the verification exercise for the UHC staff has not been validated and officially shared, and therefore, the process of transfer that the Ministry is proposing is not agreed upon,” stated Njuki.

Further, the county chiefs want funds for the payment of salaries for the transferred workforce to be sent to the county accounts before they take over the function.

The disbursement, they insisted, must be in line with recommended remuneration from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).

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“Since the contracts are still valid, the decision to transfer the staff at this time is premature and untimely,” they further argued.

Additionally, the counties have demanded that the national government settle all gratuity entitlements owed to the UHC staff before finalising the move.

Despite the issues raised, the governors have reiterated their willingness to embrace the absorption plan to help improve health outcomes in the devolved units.