The 47 governors of Kenya are set to elect new leadership for the Council of Governors (CoG) to serve a two-year term. The election is taking place at Safari Park in Nairobi, where governors are also discussing critical issues such as the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) and its implementation across counties.
Outgoing CoG Chairperson and Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru will deliver the State of the Nation Address during the meeting. Those vying to replace her as chairperson include current Vice Chair Ahmed Abdulahi (Wajir), Mutahi Kahiga (Nyeri), Muthomi Njuki (Tharaka Nithi), Joseph Ole Lenku (Kajiado), and Johnson Sakaja (Nairobi), the only first-term governor among the candidates.
Governors have previously voiced their concerns over the SHIF, particularly regarding their exclusion from key decision-making processes by the national government. Muthomi Njuki, the outgoing chairperson of the CoG Health Committee, highlighted that none of the counties had signed an Intergovernmental Participatory Agreement (IPA) with the implementation authority, despite the fact that many health facilities fall under county jurisdiction.
