The recently launched Universal Health Coverage (UHC) plan, an initiative of the National Government and County Governments, is envisaged to be a progressive, responsive, affordable, accessible and sustainable healthcare system that will accelerate attainment of the highest standard of health to all Kenyans.
H.E President William Ruto on 20th October 2023, officially launched the UHC as he presided over the 60th Mashujaa day celebrations, with Governors also presiding over the launch of the same in their respective Counties.
Themed ‘Universal Health Coverage (UHC)’, the Mashujaa day fete was held in honor of Kenya’s heroes and heroines who fought for independence and the ordinary men and women who have made significant contributions to Kenya’s post-independence development.
This year’s celebrations, held at the Kericho Green Stadium, marked a momentous time in Kenya’s history coming just a day after President William Ruto assented into law 4 crucial Bills aimed at strengthening Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The 4 Bills: Social Health Insurance Bill; Digital Health Bill; Facility Improvement Bill and; Primary Health Care Bill, in conjunction with strategic policies, are expected to usher in a paradigm shift in the legal and institutional framework for healthcare in Kenya.
Delivering his speech President Ruto underscored the pivotal role of UHC in transforming the health sector adding that the government was keen on implementing UHC with a focus on preventive and promotive healthcare.
“At all Level 1, 2, and 3 dispensaries and health centers, every Kenyan will get quality treatment for free. The bill will be covered by the government through the Primary Health Care Fund.” This will ensure that no Kenyan, regardless of their background or circumstance, is left behind when it comes to healthcare,” said the President.
The Mashujaa day celebrations were preceded by a 4-day Conference. The weeklong event featured rich discussions on among others, the digital health ecosystem, health commodity security, integrated information systems, Human Resources for Health (HRH), health financing and Primary health care. In addition, there were exhibitions where stakeholders showcased their contributions to the health sector in line with UHC.
Deputy President, H.E Rigathi Gachagua who graced the Conference on 16th October 2023 reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to attaining 15% health financing as per the Abuja declaration further noting that ksh3 billion had been allocated to the Ministry of Health (MOH) for UHC.
Accompanied by a delegation which included the Host Governor H.E. Erick Mutai and CS, Susan Nakhumicha among other dignitaries, the Deputy President visited Kenya’s first biosafety molecular laboratory at KEMRI Kericho, Cheborge health center and thereafter, the PCN hub at Kapkatet sub county hospital, one of the sub counties that has fully established PCNs and digitized the process.
Kericho County referral hospital was also elevated to be a Level 5 hospital on basis of the infrastructure upgrade increased workforce and workload of the facility.
Governors in attendance echoed County Governments’ commitment to developing innovative solutions that will ensure the successful implementation of the UHC program.
“Data is pivotal for making informed decisions. With digitization, we will harness data to drive the UHC agenda, integrate health information systems and adopt a paperless system which will ensure seamless delivery of healthcare,” noted the Chair, CoG ICT and Knowledge Management Committee H.E Wisley Rotich.
“Let us embrace constructive dialogue and work together towards bolstering the nation’s healthcare workforce and ensuring the delivery of secure and high-quality healthcare services to all its citizens,” added Chair CoG Finance Committee H.E Fernandes Barasa during a session on health financing.
The panel discussions on HRH resulted in the signing of a 17-point commitment termed the Kapkatet Declaration by the National Dialogue on HRH which brings together the CoG, MOH and the Kenya Health Human Resources Advisory Council (KHHRAC). The resolutions are aimed at regulating and streamlining the health workforce for improved delivery of UHC.

Agriculture has always been the lifeblood of Kenya’s economy, providing sustenance and livelihoods for millions. In the face of climate change and evolving global markets, innovation and adaptation are essential.
The Council of Governors Agriculture committee organized an induction workshop for Chief Officers responsible for Agriculture, Livestock, Cooperatives, and the Blue Economy at Pride Inn Paradise in Mombasa County from October 17th to 19th, 2023. This capacity-building workshop was presided over by H.E. RT Hon Kenneth Lusaka, the Governor of Bungoma County and Chairperson of the COG Agriculture, Livestock, and Cooperatives Committee. The meeting aimed to explore and discuss strategies for advancing County Agriculture Transformation and the critical role of County Chief Officers in fostering climate-resilient agriculture and ensuring global competitiveness for Kenya’s farming communities.
During his remarks, Governor Lusaka emphasized the significance of agriculture in Kenya’s economy. He stressed the need to embrace County Agricultural Transformation, a vision aimed at modernizing, enhancing productivity, ensuring sustainability, and boosting profitability in the agricultural sector. The Governor also highlighted the critical requirement for County Agriculture Departments to have adequate financial and human resources to achieve the objectives of food security and wealth creation.
“Kenya, in its wisdom, embraced devolution, decentralizing power and responsibility to the county level, with agriculture being one of the devolved functions. The goal is straightforward yet profound: to modernize, enhance productivity, ensure sustainability, and boost profitability in the agricultural sector. As County Chief Officers, you are the architects of this transformation, crafting a path that aligns with national policies while honoring the unique characteristics and resources of each county,” said the Agriculture Chair.
Furthermore, Governor Lusaka emphasized the ethos among chief officers as the County Accounting officers, emphasizing the importance of accountability for county resources, including donor funds. He urged County Chief Officers to integrate the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and their respective Governors’ Manifestos into County Planning, Situs slot ,  and Budgeting processes to ensure full implementation.
The Chief Officers were inducted in areas including National sectoral direction, organization, policy environment of the Agriculture Sector, Implementation of Joint programs, Agriculture sector performance and international commitments, Sector Planning, Budgeting, and Service Delivery, Knowledge management, among other areas.
The induction workshop concluded with a 13-point communique that, once implemented, will significantly benefit the agricultural sector.
The capacity-building workshop for County Chief Officers holds the promise of fostering climate-resilient agriculture, ensuring global competitiveness, and ultimately contributing to the sustainable development and prosperity of Kenya’s agricultural sector. The commitment of leaders like Governor Lusaka and the dedication of Chief Officers are vital in realizing this vision.

Council of Governors (CoG) Chair H.E. Anne Waiguru alongside H.E Stephen Sang and H.E Dr. Paul Otuoma, joined President William Ruto and other heads of states and sub-national governments from across the world in Beijing, China for the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) held from 16th to 19th October 2023.
The Conference, aimed at promoting better connections among countries, sub-nationals and cities in policy, infrastructure, trade, finance and people-to-people exchange, came at a time when the Chinese government was marking the 10th anniversary of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI, a signature policy of President Xi Jinping, has seen Chinese companies build infrastructure such as ports, roads and power plants connecting Asia, Europe, Africa and beyond, in a bid to boost trade and spur economic growth.
Speaking during the BRI forum on his maiden visit to China as a head of state, President William Ruto appreciated the deep historical ties between Kenya and China, cultivated by the nations’ leaders and people over the past 60 years, as proof of the strong bilateral relations and wide-ranging cooperation between the two governments.
“Kenya is an example of an African country that has successfully implemented the Belt and Road Initiative. The Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), air and sea projects and more than 2,000 kilometers of road infrastructure are some of the investments undertaken within this framework. These projects have transformed connectivity within our country by making greater productivity and efficiency possible,” noted President Ruto.
Delivering her address during the opening ceremony on sub national cooperation on “Inclusive Development of Cities through High-Quality Belt and Road Cooperation,” Governor Waiguru highlighted the active role played by County Governments on the creation of urban spaces that are accessible, sustainable, and inclusive.
“We urge you to partner with Kenya, and particularly sub-nationals, in supporting the Belt and Road Initiative with a key focus on: infrastructure development; environmental sustainability; opportunities for direct trade and investment with Counties that can foster economic growth and job creation in our cities such as the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs); inclusive governance that embodies the spirit of devolution and; partnership in creation and facilitation of market for agricultural export products from Counties in Kenya including pyrethrum, coffee, banana, avocado, rice, tea and fresh fruits such as avocados and pineapples,” added the CoG Chair.
On the sidelines of the BRF, Governors held roundtable meetings with key stakeholders including the China-Africa Business Council to share and deliberate on the bankable investment opportunities in Counties in Kenya. Further, the Kenya China Investment roundtable session saw the signing of various investment agreements between the Chinese Entrepreneurs and the Kenya Government aimed at driving transformative growth across various sectors in line with the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
Key resolutions arising from the forum include: need for adherence to people-centered philosophy of development by actively promoting the establishment of more partnerships among local governments based on complementary strengths and industrial linkages; enhancement of both the quantity and quality of local cooperation with a focus on capitalizing on the local industrial structure and resources, and prioritize areas such as poverty alleviation and development, trade, urban governance, digital economy, green innovative development and capacity building; deepening people-to-people and cultural exchanges to enhance mutual understanding, friendship, trust and affinity among people of all countries so as to consistently expand and consolidate the interest basis and public support for bilateral relations.
The Council of Governors remains committed to fostering stronger ties and cooperation in trade and investment between Kenya and China for the prosperity and development of our nation and its people.

Governors have raised alarm over the National Assembly’s decision to exclude County Governments from monies collected through the Road Maintenance Levy Fund (RLMF). Speaking during the 21st Ordinary session of the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) chaired by the Deputy President H.E Rigathi Gachagua on 6th October 2023, Council of Governors (CoG) Chair H.E Anne Waiguru termed the move unconstitutional and a serious threat to devolution.

“County Governments had previously been allocated 15% of the Roads Maintenance Levy Fund between FY 15/16 to FY 20/21. However, the 9th National and County Government Coordinating Summit held on 11th February 2023 in Naivasha and chaired by President William Ruto resolved to have the Roads Maintenance Levy Fund Conditional Grant reinstated to County Governments from FY 2024/2025 with an allocation of 20%,” noted Governor Waiguru.

“The Council has resolved to convene a consultative forum bringing together the Council of Governors, the Ministry of Roads, various roads agencies, CRA and relevant stakeholders to seek an out of Court settlement that ensures the equitable distribution of funds from the RLMF between the two levels of government,” said the DP Rigathi Gachagua while addressing members of the press after the IBEC meeting in Karen.

This came even as the Governors’ Council called for a repeal of the amendments to the Public Finance Management Act, 2012 Sections 191 A – 191 E, which obligates the National Treasury to enter into intergovernmental agreements with respective County Governments before the transfer of conditional allocations.

“Counties can’t access funds in the excess of Ksh.53 billion to implement our budgets and complete ongoing development projects for FY 2023/24 including the Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project (KCSAP) and the National Agricultural and Rural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP) that are due for closure,” added the CoG Chair noting that no intergovernmental agreements are currently in place and there are existing legislative frameworks to facilitate the effective transfer of the funds.

The IBEC Council directed that Parliament waive the current requirements under the law. In the meantime, a task force had been established to develop draft intergovernmental agreements. On disbursement of Counties’ equitable share, the exchequer has so far released Ksh.78.59 billion with Ksh.48.60 billion outstanding for the months of September and October 2023 allocations.

Regarding the agriculture sector, the Deputy President noted that plans to hold stakeholder conferences in the sugar, milk and maize sectors were in the pipeline further urging governors to support the Kenya Kwanza government’s sugar sector reforms. This includes privatization of public sugar mills; reducing sugar imports; sugar cane development; regulatory changes to streamline the sugar industry; debt management; quality control and adherence to industry standards; Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and; diversification.

The IBEC meeting came just days after the government partially lifted the 2019 mining moratorium on licenses in a bid to accelerate growth in the sector and ensure that the royalties can be realized by the respective communities. Citing the 4th schedule of the Constitution which assigns County Governments’ the function to organize, register and develop communities, Governors called upon the National Government to refrain from taking over responsibilities that are designated for County Governments with regard to the registration of Community Organizations.

Other critical issues discussed during the Karen meeting include: the draft mineral royalty sharing regulations, 2023; designation of national public water works through revocation of Legal Notice No. 102; transfer of Water Assets to the County Governments, Joint Authorities or Water Service Providers (WSPs) to enable them adequately undertake water service provision; County Governments’ pending bills and enhancement of own source revenue; the Integrated County Revenue Management System; the Equalization fund and; County Governments’ preparedness for El Nino.