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{
    "id": 1049921,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1049921/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 127,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Olekina",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 407,
        "legal_name": "Ledama Olekina",
        "slug": "ledama-olekina"
    },
    "content": "Madam Temporary Speaker, I thank you for an opportunity to comment on this very important Statement by my sister, Sen. Susan Kihika. Everyone in Kenya today is alive to the fact that we have COVID millionaires; people who made so much money during the height of the pandemic. Right now, as a Member of the Committee on Health, there are a few things that really baffle me. We know that the Government has ordered 24 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccines. We are also aware that these doses were ordered from AstraZeneca, and apparently, they have been tested by the Oxford University. I believe that they have also been tested by the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KeMRI). The issues raised by Sen. Kihika are that we, as the Senate, must sit down and talk, and decide what we need included in this budget. The Speaker barred all travels of committees until we are able to submit something relevant to the Committee on Finance and Budget in terms of the Budget Policy Statement (BPS). It behooves all of us, as Members of this Senate, people who are tasked with the responsibility of over sighting funds that are going to the county governments, to really put all our energy together to ensure that at least we can answer a few basic questions. For example, how much will it cost for the 24 million doses that have already been procured? What is the process of procuring these 24 million doses? Is it going to be another cartel? Is it going to be another expression of interest? We have to do away with corruption in certain sectors, like health, and particularly, also in gender. We know that the current Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Health made a statement and said that most of the doses will be focused or directed on health workers. We have a lot of challenges currently with the health workers. They are crying out that they have not been assisted when it comes to the issues of their welfare. Madam Temporary Speaker, as a Member of the Committee, I would like to request all the other Members of the Senate to come and team up with us, so that we can put this Government to task. We know that this Senate does not have an oversight fund. It is going to be a personal initiative for all of us to follow counties, to see how much money and doses will be allocated to them, so that at least all of us can benefit. On the issue of corruption, unless we say that enough is enough, we will be lamenting on a daily basis. At least for once, so that we can do away with COVID-19, which does not choose whether you are rich or poor, we should just really--- I want to plead with those cartels or people who take advantage of situations that, for once, they should stay away from the business of vaccines. This is something that is very painful because many counties have received a lot of money. It is very difficult for the county governments to account for the money on COVID-19. This is because when that money is allocated from the national Government, and this Senate has got no role to play in it, it becomes very difficult for us to oversight that money. First, we do not know how much has been given. We only get to know when the money has already been released. On top of that, we do not have oversight funds. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}