Governors Call Urgent Meeting to Address UHC Staff Crisis and E-Procurement Delays
Quote from Lawyer on September 1, 2025, 9:14 amGovernors from across Kenya are set to convene an extraordinary session in Nairobi to tackle two pressing issues disrupting county operations: the national government's directive to absorb over 7,400 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) workers and the stalled implementation of the Treasury's electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system, which has delayed county budgets and service delivery.
The Council of Governors (CoG), led by Chairperson and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, issued a notice on August 28 inviting all 47 governors to deliberate on these challenges. The agenda focuses on the management of human resources in the health sector and the national government's push for the e-GP system, both of which governors argue are unilateral, financially unsustainable, and detrimental to devolved services, particularly in healthcare.
The Ministry of Health has directed counties to employ 7,414 UHC medics on permanent and pensionable terms starting September 1, without allocating the Sh7.7 billion needed for their salaries. Governors have strongly opposed this mandate, citing a lack of funding and collaboration. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced last week that the absorption would proceed, but a verification process revealed 215 of the 7,629 UHC staff were either absent or unqualified, labeling them as potential ghost workers or unverified professionals. Salaries for these 215 individuals have been halted pending further investigation.
Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga, in a letter dated August 25 to CoG Chief Executive Officer Mary Mwiti, emphasized that only actively working staff should be included in the absorption process, with templates required to document those on strike or absent, including the dates of their absence.
Tharaka-Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki, who chairs the CoG Health Committee, stated that all 47 counties have rejected the Health Ministry's directive. "The relationship between the Ministry of Health and counties is supposed to be collaborative, not directive," Njuki said in an interview with Citizen TV. He highlighted that the verification report for UHC staff has not been officially validated or shared with counties, rendering the proposed transfer process unacceptable.
Adding to the tension, the Health Sector Caucus, representing UHC workers, has issued a strike notice. Caucus chair Peterson Wachira informed the Nairobi Regional Police Commander that approximately 5,000 UHC staff are expected to participate in nationwide demonstrations starting tomorrow. The protests, set to begin at 8:00 am at Green Park Terminus in Nairobi, aim to demand the gazettement of UHC staff data post-audit, a formal commitment to pay gratuity with clear timelines, and the enforcement of a return-to-work formula. The caucus has requested police security to ensure the demonstrations remain peaceful.
The Treasury's directive to process all public tenders through the e-GP platform has also drawn significant criticism. Governors report that the Treasury has blocked counties from uploading procurement plans into the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), severely hampering the implementation of the 2025/26 budgets. This has led to operational paralysis, particularly in critical sectors like health, as counties have been unable to conduct procurement for the past three months.
In a letter dated August 21 to Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, Governor Ahmed Abdullahi urged the National Treasury to lift administrative blocks on the e-GP system. "The implementation challenges associated with the system have continued to paralyse operations, thereby denying service delivery to citizens in critical sectors," he wrote. He warned that without resolution, counties would pursue legal redress.
Additionally, counties have rejected the Treasury's proposed e-Citizen-like revenue collection system, arguing it encroaches on their ability to manage own-source revenue, further straining relations with the national government.
The extraordinary meeting, described by Governor Njuki as a response to issues requiring immediate attention, underscores the severity of the situation. "Counties have not done a single procurement, and it is not possible for us to run for three months without running the government," Njuki said. "You cannot do any development if you are not procuring, and it is because the e-procurement system is not ready."
The governors' meeting aims to forge a unified stance on these issues, balancing the need for sustainable healthcare staffing with operational autonomy and financial stability. As the standoff continues, the planned demonstrations by UHC workers signal growing unrest, with potential implications for healthcare delivery across the country.
Governors from across Kenya are set to convene an extraordinary session in Nairobi to tackle two pressing issues disrupting county operations: the national government's directive to absorb over 7,400 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) workers and the stalled implementation of the Treasury's electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system, which has delayed county budgets and service delivery.
The Council of Governors (CoG), led by Chairperson and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, issued a notice on August 28 inviting all 47 governors to deliberate on these challenges. The agenda focuses on the management of human resources in the health sector and the national government's push for the e-GP system, both of which governors argue are unilateral, financially unsustainable, and detrimental to devolved services, particularly in healthcare.
The Ministry of Health has directed counties to employ 7,414 UHC medics on permanent and pensionable terms starting September 1, without allocating the Sh7.7 billion needed for their salaries. Governors have strongly opposed this mandate, citing a lack of funding and collaboration. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced last week that the absorption would proceed, but a verification process revealed 215 of the 7,629 UHC staff were either absent or unqualified, labeling them as potential ghost workers or unverified professionals. Salaries for these 215 individuals have been halted pending further investigation.
Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga, in a letter dated August 25 to CoG Chief Executive Officer Mary Mwiti, emphasized that only actively working staff should be included in the absorption process, with templates required to document those on strike or absent, including the dates of their absence.
Tharaka-Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki, who chairs the CoG Health Committee, stated that all 47 counties have rejected the Health Ministry's directive. "The relationship between the Ministry of Health and counties is supposed to be collaborative, not directive," Njuki said in an interview with Citizen TV. He highlighted that the verification report for UHC staff has not been officially validated or shared with counties, rendering the proposed transfer process unacceptable.
Adding to the tension, the Health Sector Caucus, representing UHC workers, has issued a strike notice. Caucus chair Peterson Wachira informed the Nairobi Regional Police Commander that approximately 5,000 UHC staff are expected to participate in nationwide demonstrations starting tomorrow. The protests, set to begin at 8:00 am at Green Park Terminus in Nairobi, aim to demand the gazettement of UHC staff data post-audit, a formal commitment to pay gratuity with clear timelines, and the enforcement of a return-to-work formula. The caucus has requested police security to ensure the demonstrations remain peaceful.
The Treasury's directive to process all public tenders through the e-GP platform has also drawn significant criticism. Governors report that the Treasury has blocked counties from uploading procurement plans into the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), severely hampering the implementation of the 2025/26 budgets. This has led to operational paralysis, particularly in critical sectors like health, as counties have been unable to conduct procurement for the past three months.
In a letter dated August 21 to Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, Governor Ahmed Abdullahi urged the National Treasury to lift administrative blocks on the e-GP system. "The implementation challenges associated with the system have continued to paralyse operations, thereby denying service delivery to citizens in critical sectors," he wrote. He warned that without resolution, counties would pursue legal redress.
Additionally, counties have rejected the Treasury's proposed e-Citizen-like revenue collection system, arguing it encroaches on their ability to manage own-source revenue, further straining relations with the national government.
The extraordinary meeting, described by Governor Njuki as a response to issues requiring immediate attention, underscores the severity of the situation. "Counties have not done a single procurement, and it is not possible for us to run for three months without running the government," Njuki said. "You cannot do any development if you are not procuring, and it is because the e-procurement system is not ready."
The governors' meeting aims to forge a unified stance on these issues, balancing the need for sustainable healthcare staffing with operational autonomy and financial stability. As the standoff continues, the planned demonstrations by UHC workers signal growing unrest, with potential implications for healthcare delivery across the country.