@HonMoses_Kuria@HonMoses_Kuria Now that your no longer cs give us the truth...kila mtu achimbe mafta yake,all workers to be employed on contract...bure kabisa
PSC and COG at Odds Over Employment Terms in UHC Staff Transition Controversy
The Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program is embroiled in a controversy over the employment terms of its staff.
This issue has come to light following conflicting directives from the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Council of Governors (COG).
On April 2, 2024, the Ministry of Health, through the Office of the Principal Secretary, issued a letter to the PSC requesting the transition of UHC staff into permanent and pensionable (PnP) terms of employment.
This move follows a PSC advisory dated May 17, 2023, approving the renewal of appointments for 8,571 UHC staff on Local Agreement Terms for one more year.
The staff, comprising 16 different healthcare cadres at diploma and certificate levels, were to be absorbed into PnP terms to ensure job security and appropriate benefits, including a gratuity.
The PSC, along with the Multi-Agency Taskforce on UHC transition, highlighted that the cost of transitioning the UHC staff to permanent terms amounted to Ksh 7,747,802,365.
Of this, Ksh 4,238,452,404 was already allocated in the National Government budget, leaving a funding gap of Ksh 3,509,349,961.
The task force recommended that the National Treasury make provisions to bridge this gap to facilitate the transition.
However, the COG, under the leadership of Chairperson Anne Waiguru, issued a conflicting directive on May 16, 2024.
The COG's letter, referencing a joint sitting of the National Assembly and Senate Standing Committee on Health on May 5, 2024, observed that the PSC had issued only a one-year renewal of the UHC staff contracts.
This was contrary to the Summit's resolutions, which mandated a three-year renewal under the same terms and conditions.
The COG requested the Ministry of Health, through the PSC, to issue a further two-year extension to align with the Summit resolution, effectively extending the UHC staff contracts to a total of six years on contract terms.
This extension would result in the staff continuing to work at lower pay without gratuity, contradicting the PSC's advisory for permanent absorption.
The conflicting directives have created uncertainty and concern among the UHC staff.
PSC's recommendation for absorption into PnP terms would provide job security and benefits, including a gratuity payment of Ksh 6,300,385,920 for the staff.
On the other hand, the COG's push for a contract extension denies the staff these benefits and continues the precarious nature of their employment.
This dispute also raises legal and constitutional concerns.
While the PSC is recognized under the PSC Act, the concept of a Governors Summit does not have constitutional recognition.
The authority and legality of the Summit's resolutions, therefore, come into question, especially when they conflict with the PSC's directives.
The media and the public will be closely monitoring developments to see if the government will uphold the PSC's advisory or succumb to the COG's counter-directive.
@C_NyaKundiH Wonderful work this people need to be absorb into permanent and pensionable job they suffered alot during covid 19 and be paid like their colleagues who work the same work...equal work equal pay
1 year is coming to an END!
CS @Nakhumicha_S tukifuatilia tunaambiwa ni next week.
We are reminding @MOH_Kenya to immediately absorb all the UHC healthcare staffs.
Our demos on 20th is inevitable.
Our demands are very clear.
#PNPforUHCstaffs#uhckenya