President William Ruto on Wednesday hosted a consultative meeting with governors to assess the progress of intergovernmental development initiatives, with a particular focus on the ongoing digitisation of public health facilities across the country.
The high-level meeting held at State House aimed to strengthen cooperation between the national and county governments, especially in critical sectors such as health and agriculture. A key highlight was the digitisation drive targeting public health institutions, which the President said is crucial to eliminating ghost hospitals that have long siphoned off public funds.
Ruto emphasized that the digitisation programme is central to ensuring transparency and efficiency in healthcare service delivery. “We are keen to modernise our public health system to curb wastage and redirect resources to genuine service providers,” he noted.
In the agriculture sector, Ruto announced plans to harmonise and consolidate operations within the Ministry of Agriculture to bolster ongoing reforms. He revealed that the government would introduce an e-voucher system for animal vaccination and register livestock farmers to enhance traceability — building on the success of the fertiliser subsidy programme.
Additionally, the President pledged to leverage the country’s cooperative movement to unlock the full potential of the agricultural economy. “By enhancing productivity and ensuring better pricing, we will put more money in the pockets of our farmers,” he said.
Ruto also underscored the importance of continued dialogue between the two levels of government, vowing to uphold frequent consultations to maintain a harmonious relationship.
The meeting followed a recent request by the Council of Governors (COG) to engage the President on pressing matters. On May 19, COG Chair Ahmed Abdulahi called for an urgent summit, citing issues such as healthcare management, budgetary allocations, and overlapping mandates.
Governors raised concerns over the allocation of only Sh405 billion against their proposed Sh536 billion for the 2025/2026 financial year. They also decried delayed disbursements amounting to Sh78.94 billion covering the March-May period.
Abdulahi warned that the delays and budget shortfalls undermine the constitutional right of counties to adequate resources, urging the national government to honour its commitments.
