HOMA BAY, Kenya – Council of Governors (CoG) Health Committee chairperson Muthomi Njuki has called for a major overhaul in how health resources are shared between the national and county governments, saying a larger share of the national health budget should go directly to the devolved units.
Speaking in Homa Bay, as the 2025 Devolution Conference kicked off, Njuki argued that the Ministry of Health should retain only a policy-making role, leaving service delivery to counties.
“Health is fully devolved, yet the Ministry’s budget is more than double that of all counties combined,” said Njuki. “Counties are struggling to fund healthcare because much of the money remains at the national level.”
The Tharaka Nithi governor warned that the funding gap has hampered counties’ ability to provide adequate health services, urging Parliament to prioritise county needs when appropriating funds.
He accused the National Assembly of siding with the Executive instead of addressing the realities on the ground.
Njuki also called for closer collaboration between MPs and county leaders to prevent delays in fund disbursement, which he said have been worsened by recurring disputes between the National Assembly and the Senate.
On the Devolution Conference, which runs until August 15, Njuki said the forum would allow counties to share best practices, showcase innovations, and explore new technologies tailored to devolved health systems.
