Governors have accused the national government of what they claim is a deliberate raid on their devolved mandate.
Speaking after a special council meeting on Friday, the county chiefs alleged there is a systematic plot to raid their devolved functions, especially in the health sector.
Health is one of devolved functions but the national government still performs some specific functions like the management of level 6 and referral hospitals.
CoG chairperson Anne Waiguru said the council has noted a pattern where the Ministry of Health is engaged in an intentional clawback on the devolved functions.
“We recognise that several challenges are still being experienced in the implementation of devolved health services due to lack of adequate resources as well as attempts by the Ministry of Health to claw back on the devolved functions and derail the gains made,” Waiguru said.
The Kirinyaga governor cited primary health as one of the areas Afya House has attempted to elbow governors from and run the show.
“Promotion of primary healthcare is a basic pillar in health, and central to county health services which is an exclusive function of county governments. However, the Ministry of Health has fashioned the UHC programme around primary health service,” she said.
Waiguru further accused Afya House of developing a Primary Health Care Fund unilaterally without involving the devolved units.
The Fund is proposed to provide funding for Primary Care Networks (PCNs).
“This Fund is to be domiciled centrally and administered by MoH,” she protested.
“Further, the MoH is developing a parallel structure for administration of this Fund which is different from existing county government structures.”
The county bosses now want the ministry to engage them before the Fund is rolled out.
CoG Health committee chairperson Muthomi Njuki also faulted the ministry of invading counties territories, saying most of the proposals that affect the health sector are drafted in Nairobi without the input of the council.
“There are a number of proposals being done by the Ministry of Health that we are never involved, for instance the proposed NHIF and Kemsa reform Bills have not considered the views of the county governments,” he said.
“On Facility Improvement Funds (FIF), counties do not require a national legislation as 25 counties have already passed their legislations and the remaining 25 counties are at various stages of legislative development by the respective assemblies.”
The county bosses also demanded degazettement of at least three institutions and authorities in the health sector, which were created without their input.
“The MoH has persistently established institutions and authorities in the last three years without due regard to the institutional and functional integrity of county governments,” they said in a joint statement.
They include the National Systematic Diseases Control Council, the Kenya Tissue and Transplant Authority and the National Public Health Institute.
Waiguru also raised the alarm on expiry of the Medical Equipment Service (MES) programme, which she noted is exposing Kenyans to great danger due to lack of maintenance and service.
She urged the national government to move with speed and to extend contract with the current service providers even as it develops a long-term strategy.
