County Governors in Kenya are demanding a meeting with President William Ruto, it has now emerged.

Through a press conference, the Council of Governors (COG) on Monday, May 19, demanded to meet Ruto to address emerging issues between the two levels of government, simmering and likely to create points of friction.

Led by the COG Chair and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdulahi, the group cited various issues in health, budget, and overlapping powers as key reasons behind their clamour for an audience with the Head of State.

On health, the governors hit out at Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and his ministry over the absorption of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff, accusing the newly appointed CS Aden Duale of mismanagement.

President William Ruto speaking while hosting the leadership of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Friday, May 9, 2025 at State House, Nairobi.

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According to the governors who addressed a press conference after a 5-hour full council meeting at their headquarters in Westlands, the question of transferring the UHC staff to counties was being mishandled and should be treated with the importance it requires.

Abdulahi called out Duale over the issue, accusing him of fast-tracking the transfer of the UHC staff employed during the COVID era to counties, yet there were no accompanying funds to take care of their salaries and gratuity.

This comes even as the UHC staff have been staging demos at the Ministry of Health headquarters and Parliament, demanding employment on permanent and pensionable terms, or to be paid gratuity for having worked for the last six years, then be allowed to seek fresh mandates in individual counties.

“What he (Duale) is doing is transferring his problem to us, and this is not sustainable. We demand that CS Duale sorts out issues at the Ministry first before involving Governors,” Abdulahi stated.

On the matter of the absorption, COG averred that it would be akin to committing to a programme blindly, as there are still funding challenges between themselves and the National Government, thus rendering the move to bring on board the UHC staff without accompanying funds an exercise in futility.

Consequently, COG Health Committee chairperson Muthomi Njuki tasked the Ministry to deal exhaustively with the UHC staff and allow their absorption to be seamless and without any pending bills by the National Government.

Aside from the matter on UHC, the governors also took issue with the recent donation of surveillance vehicles by the National Government, officiated by Ruto, arguing that the move amounted to a continued usurping of county powers by the State. They argued that the procurement of vehicles was a county function and thus monies should have been channelled to the counties.

The governors argued that it would be extremely difficult to insure vehicles purchased by the national government, posing a danger to operations of the vehicles.

In their push for the meeting, the COG also hoped to address persistent county funding challenges.

COG chair Ahmed Abdulahi said despite their request of Ksh536 billion for the 2025/2026 financial year, only Ksh405 billion had been allocated, posing a risk to county functions.

“This is a direct violation of the principle that resources must follow functions, and undermines the constitutional right of county governments to receive adequate resources. The COG therefore urges an urgent summit meeting with the President,” averred Abdulahi.

Council of Governors Chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi, during a meeting on April 14, 2025

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