Governors oppose plan to absorb 7,414 UHC staff
The Council of Governors (CoG) has pushed back against the Ministry of Health’s plan to absorb 7,414 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff, describing the decision as premature and contrary to agreements between national and county governments.
In a statement released on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, the council said the ministry’s directive did not align with the negotiated framework for transferring UHC staff from the national level to county administrations.
You might also like
CoG Health Committee Chair, Governor Muthomi Njuki, emphasised that the staff contracts are still valid and any transition should follow agreed procedures.
“Transferring staff at this stage is untimely since their contracts are active,” Njuki noted, stressing that counties must first receive adequate funding based on Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) scales before the absorption process begins.
Unresolved concerns remain
The governors also pointed out that the verification report of UHC staff had not yet been fully validated or shared with county authorities, adding further complications to the proposed transfer.
Another unresolved issue is the payment of gratuity for staff who were employed on contract terms. CoG has urged the Ministry of Health to settle these obligations before moving staff to county payrolls.
“The council remains committed to absorbing verified UHC personnel and ensuring their salaries are paid according to approved SRC scales, once counties receive the necessary resources and outstanding gratuity payments are cleared,” Njuki said.
Despite rejecting the immediate absorption, CoG affirmed its willingness to continue collaborating with the Ministry of Health to address staffing matters, underscoring the shared goal of enhancing health service delivery nationwide.
This comes after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced that verified UHC staff would be integrated into the public service starting September 2025, following a nationwide verification exercise jointly conducted by the State Department for Medical Services and the Council of Governors
Author
William Muthama
William Muthama is a digital journalist with a focus on entertainment, human interest, and current affairs. Share stories: [email protected]/ [email protected]
View all posts by William Muthama
