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{
    "id": 1019170,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1019170/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 240,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Were",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13183,
        "legal_name": "Petronila Were Lokorio",
        "slug": "petronila-were-lokorio"
    },
    "content": "Madam Speaker, I join my colleagues in condemning the action taken by Gov. Oparanya in suggesting to counties that they need to close hospitals especially in-patient services during a time when we are dealing with COVID-19. The counties do not just use equitable share from the National Government. They have own-source revenue as suggested by Sen. Halake which they can use to maintain the essential services such as hospitals using their own revenue. The counties do not only depend on the national revenue. Gov. Oparanya was in a meeting yesterday that was held at the Statehouse where our leadership was promised an additional Kshs50 billion to counties. However, Gov. Oparanya has been quoted today directing all counties to close hospitals because Senators are unable to approve a formula for sharing revenue. I am left wondering whether the offer by the President to add money to the counties was a scam. Does Gov. Oparanya not believe in the promise from the President of an additional Kshs53 billion for him to come out the following day and direct all the hospitals in the counties to be closed due to lack of money. If Gov. Oparanya does not believe in the offer that was made by the President in a meeting that he attended, how safe are we as Senators in believing the promise from the President? Madam Temporary Speaker, I suggest that we should set up a platform where the National Treasury, the Senate leadership and the CoG can hold regular meeting especially on the issue of transfer of funds. We have had several instances where the National Treasury has said that funds have been transferred to counties yet counties complain that they do not receive their funds from the National Government on time. Our hands are tied currently. If we had a platform where the National Treasury, the Senate leadership and the CoG were able to meet and ensure that the funds we have allocated or appropriated as Parliament are disbursed to counties in a timely manner, we would have handled this issue in a better manner. I thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker and beg to support."
}