Atwoli Calls for Health, Land Functions to Be Taken Back From Counties

Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU-K) Secretary-General Francis Atwoli has called for changes to the Constitution to transfer the management of health and land functions from county governments back to the national government.

Atwoli argues that the two sectors have faced serious challenges since the implementation of devolution, with counties struggling to manage them effectively.

Speaking during the funeral service of COTU National Treasurer Abel Njeru, Atwoli said the country should be willing to review parts of the Constitution where experience has shown that changes may be necessary.

He particularly pointed to healthcare, saying it is a critical service that affects every Kenyan and should therefore receive stronger coordination at the national level.

According to Atwoli, some county governments do not have sufficient financial and administrative capacity to manage health services effectively. He linked a number of problems affecting the sector to weaknesses in county-level management.

The labour leader cited repeated strikes by doctors, nurses and other health workers, shortages of medical supplies and interruptions in services as some of the challenges that continue to affect the country’s healthcare system.

He argued that returning health functions to the national government would make it easier to coordinate the sector across the country.

Atwoli said such a move could also improve the distribution of resources and strengthen the delivery of medical services, particularly in counties that struggle with limited financial resources.

He maintained that healthcare should be treated as a national priority because disruptions in the sector have a direct impact on millions of Kenyans.

Beyond healthcare, Atwoli also raised concerns about the management and use of land, particularly agricultural land.

He warned that large portions of farmland are increasingly being converted into residential and commercial developments. According to him, uncontrolled conversion of agricultural land could eventually threaten Kenya’s ability to produce enough food.

Atwoli called for stronger measures to protect productive agricultural areas while allowing towns and cities to expand in a planned manner.

He said Kenya needs to find a balance between urbanisation and food production so that development today does not undermine the country’s food security in the future.

The COTU boss’s proposal comes as the debate over the effectiveness of devolution continues more than a decade after the system was introduced.

Devolution transferred several functions from the national government to the counties with the aim of bringing services closer to citizens and giving local communities greater control over resources.

While the system has been credited with improving development and service delivery in various parts of the country, it has also faced criticism over financial management, staffing challenges and disagreements between the two levels of government.

Atwoli’s proposal would require constitutional changes, meaning it would have to go through the legally prescribed process before any functions could be transferred.

The trade unionist also waded into the country’s political debate during the funeral, commenting on Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna’s reported presidential ambitions.

Atwoli questioned whether Sifuna has accumulated enough political and administrative experience to pursue the presidency.

He argued that serving one term as a senator was not sufficient preparation for the country’s highest office and challenged Sifuna to gain broader experience before seeking the presidency.

Atwoli’s remarks on both devolution and politics are likely to fuel further debate as Kenya considers how best to manage critical national services and prepare for the country’s next political contest.