The High Court has declared President William Ruto’s taskforce on human resources for health unconstitutional.
The court made the decision on Thursday, February 6.
This was after President Ruto created the taskforce in July 2024 to tackle major problems in Kenya’s healthcare system.
The team, chaired by Professor Khama Rogo and made up of 20 members, was given six months to come up with strategies to improve the hiring, training, and retention of healthcare workers.
Their work was also aimed at removing legal and administrative barriers to better healthcare service.
However, the Law Society of Kenya and other civil groups took the matter to court. They argued that the taskforce was unnecessary and overstepped its bounds.
According to these groups, the taskforce duplicated the work of the Kenya Health Human Resource Advisory Council, a body set up under the Health Act of 2017. Critics said the government should have been using the council instead.
The Attorney General requested a 30-day suspension of the court’s decision because the taskforce’s mandate was close to ending. However, Justice Bahati Mwamuye dismissed the request.
In December 2024, President Ruto had extended the taskforce’s deadline by an extra 60 days, allowing it to work until March 2025.
The team was expected to help design an employment plan for 20,000 healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and clinical officers. Their work aimed to improve the doctor-patient ratio in line with World Health Organization standards and to suggest ways to boost healthcare delivery across the country.
The court’s decision raises questions about the future of the taskforce and the government’s plans to reform Kenya’s healthcare system. Further updates are expected as the situation develops.
By Newshub