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{
    "id": 1029487,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1029487/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 215,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Farhiya",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13179,
        "legal_name": "Farhiya Ali Haji",
        "slug": "farhiya-ali-haji"
    },
    "content": "that county. I understand there are ventilator machines, but there is no oxygen in the county. Which is cheaper? A ventilator machine or an oxygen cylinder? There are some critical questions that we need to ask ourselves that need responses. In my own county, the COVID-19 fund that was allocated to Wajir County, 98 per cent of that fund was spent within three months after receiving the funds. Where did that money go? It hurts me so much to say that the people who are responsible to make sure there is accountability in this country are failing their job. The Ethics and Anti- Corruption Commission (EACC) and Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) are the kind of agencies we should reign over to find out what happened. When the Office of the Auditor-General was doing the special audit on Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), they should have extended that audit to all counties in terms of the COVID-19 fund. They should have not only have done a normal audit, but a forensic audit, so that they could trace what happened to the funds. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, in this country, we will not die of COVID-19. We will die more from the impact of corruption in this country. This is an issue that we need to address. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, the Cabinet Secretary of Health has said there will be no intercounty transfer of patients from one county to another. This is a special message to our Members of County Assemblies (MCAs). If you do not do a proper oversight and contract COVID-19 while you are in your county, you will be on your own. Do not even think about all the people you represent. Think about yourself. This is going to affect you. My plea to our MCAs, please, make sure that your oversight on COVID-19 is extended. Make sure that when you are looking at the budgets---I am sure most of the counties will do a supplementary budget given that the disbursement of money to counties delayed. Make sure that whatever fund that is allocated to COVID-19 goes to COVID-19 and not any other project. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, on the emergency funds that counties have, instead of giving people money to respond to drought and other calamities, instead of using cash to pay people---Counties buy expired food to distribute to people who are already in a bad situation and are starving and have suffered the impact of COVID-19. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this is appalling. In this century, we are still struggling with corruption. People who are supposed to take care of all these have failed. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I did not get an opportunity to contribute to the State about National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) cover. I had asked for it. That is critical for people to survive this COVID-19. It is part of the Government to help people. One of the directives we should have given when COVID-19 came, is that the NHIF should have been allocated much more, so that they can cover more people. People are struggling economically and when they go to hospital, NHIF does not cover them. Where do they go? As people who represent our constituents or our counties, I feel we are not doing enough because who is there to speak for these who are really suffering? I thank our President for shortening the time of bars and restaurants. Truth be told, somebody who is drunk will never know how to social distance or how to take care of 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."
}