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{
    "id": 1028967,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1028967/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 247,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Kasanga",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13185,
        "legal_name": "Sylvia Mueni Kasanga",
        "slug": "sylvia-mueni-kasanga"
    },
    "content": "Counties which reported the highest expenditure were Nakuru at Kshs311.97 million, Wajir at Kshs255.33 million and Kiambu at Kshs245.94 million. Seven Counties, namely, Bomet, Embu Kirinyaga, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit and Nairobi City, did not report any expenditure towards COVID-19 interventions. The National Government grants of Kshs5 billion for COVID-19 responses was transferred to the various County Revenue Fund Accounts on 4th June 2020 through the Ministry of Health. Counties further received Kshs.2.36 billion on 6th July 2020 from the National Government (Ministry of Health) being allowances for Frontline Health Care Workers dealing with COVID-19 pandemic and Kshs350 million from DANIDA on 30th June 2020 for COVID-19 interventions. The timing of the funds release was too close to the end of the Financial Year 2019/20 and some County Governments did not prepare budgets for the utilization of the COVID-19 Grant from the National Government. Consequently, several County Governments could not withdraw these funds which had remained unutilized as of 31st July 2020. When the first COVID-19 case in Kenya was reported, there were no clear guidelines from the National Government on the role of Counties in the management and response to COVID-19 cases. Although several County Governments allocated funds within their budgets to fight the Pandemic, they were unable to utilize the funds due to lack of support and guidelines from the Ministry of Health (MoH). The guidelines and expectations from the County Governments were only issued towards the end of May 2020. County Governments have put in place arrangements for conducting internal audits in line with Section 155 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2012. As of 31st July 2020, County Governments reported actual expenditures of Kshs3.43 billion towards COVID-19 intervention programmes compared the available resource basket of Kshs.13.1 billion. The Special Budget Review Implementation Report further contains detailed reports on utilization of funds by each County Government towards COVID-19 interventions. A summary of the Controller of Budget Report is found at Chapter 3 of this Report with the Controller of Budget Report itself attached to this Report as Annex 4. I urge all Senators to go through the Report, particularly the sections relating to their respective Counties, and share with the Committee any issues that they would like us to follow up on as a Committee. The Committee had further directed the Auditor-General to undertake a special audit on the utilization of funds allocated to and appropriated 47 county governments in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, covering the period from 13th March, 2020 to 31st July, 2020. While the Committee had asked the Auditor General to submit the special audit report by 4th September, 2020, the Auditor General requested for more time to complete the exercise, and we expect to receive the report in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, we have come to the end of our mandate without having received the report of the Auditor-General on the counties. In this case, we shall specify the Committee that will receive analyze and advise on the way forward. The Ad Hoc Committee on the COVID-19 Situation also undertook site visits to Isiolo and Meru Counties, in the month of June, and to Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}