Deputy Governors are now calling on the government to transfer the budgetary allocation for health workers employed under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to devolved units.
The deputy county chiefs say it is foolhardy for the central government to push counties to absorb the 7,414 staff employed under UHC without providing them with money to cater for their salaries and gratuity arrears.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi said counties can only absorb the health workers if the central government agrees to allocate them Sh7.7 billion to cover their salaries in line with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) approved scales, and Sh9.4 billion to clear gratuity arrears for staff on contract.
Mwangangi said the central government has been pushing counties to absorb the UHC staff while retaining the budgetary allocation, which defeats the very logic of devolved units employing the workers.
“Counties have found themselves with their hands tied. On one hand, they don’t have funds to take in these employees, while on the other hand, they are being pushed to the wall to absorb these workers,” he said.
Mwangangi noted that counties are already faced with the challenges of bloated staff vis-à-vis reduced budgetary allocation.
“Counties work within budgets, and anything outside that is not feasible. The government must start with allocating funds towards these staff,” he said.
There has been a ping-pong game between the central and county governments over the fate of the more than 7,000 workers who were employed about five years ago to spearhead the UHC programme.
Mwangangi claimed that the push to have devolved units absorb the UHC staff is part of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s strategy to frustrate devolution.
The Machakos deputy county boss claimed that some personalities within the central government have never been comfortable with all devolved functions being handed over to counties.
“How does one explain when the central government is overseeing the sinking of boreholes, distribution of fertiliser and employment of health workers? Obviously, the Kenya Kwanza administration is not keen on letting go of these functions,” he said.
Mwangangi also faulted the Public Service Commission (PSC) for approving new career guidelines for health workers without consulting counties, warning that the move carries heavy financial implications that must be reflected in the equitable share of revenue.
