Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga announced that transitioning county government staff, including nurses, to contract positions could alleviate growing pension liabilities for both local and national authorities.
Kahiga emphasized that the policy, finalized during a summit led by President Uhuru Kenyatta at Sagana State Lodge, seeks to prevent counties from accumulating unsustainable pension obligations. He highlighted that Kenya's pension debt exceeds 1 trillion Kenyan shillings, asking, "Who wants to increase that?"
The governor explained that contract roles would offer flexibility for employees to leave while allowing renewals, contrasting with permanent positions that escalate long-term financial commitments. He noted that modern workers often do not remain in one location indefinitely, justifying the shift in hiring practices.
Existing permanent employees will retain their current terms, according to Kahiga, who clarified that the three-year contract model applies only to new hires. The policy aligns with budgetary constraints imposed by the Controller of Budget, he added.
The announcement coincided with Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki's inspection of Nyeri County Referral Hospital, part of ongoing reviews of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) implementation. Nyeri, one of four pilot counties for UHC since December 2018, has enrolled 457,000 residents in the program.
We don’t care about county plans to contract new nurses – union
