Governors have asked the national government to give them funds to pay doctors for the period they were on strike.
President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered counties to pay doctors for the 100 days they downed tools in a push for higher salaries and better working conditions.
But Peter Munya, who is Meru Governor and Council of Governors chairman, said counties do not have money to pay doctors for services not rendered.
He told journalists in Nairobi on Wednesday that counties had spent the money on substitute health functions when the medics were on strike.
"The money we would have used to pay the doctors was used to buy medicine and support faith-based institutions in counties. We do not have any extra money."
Munya asked the national government to fulfill its payments promise to doctors.
"All we need is for the National Treasury to disburse the money so that we pay the medical workers," Munya said.
Governors earlier said they were looking into possibilities of paying doctors but they cited the law barring payment of striking workers.
Uhuru had talked tough before, warning that the doctors would be fired if they participated in another strike.
But the medics, through their union, said they will down tools once again if the pay debacle is not solved.
KMPDU secretary general Ouma Oluga said the return-to-work formula was self-explanatory.
He said governors' failure to pay doctors amounted to punishing them.
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