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{
    "id": 1061140,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1061140/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 344,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Bondo, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Gideon Ochanda",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1264,
        "legal_name": "Gideon Ochanda Ogolla",
        "slug": "gideon-ochanda-ogolla"
    },
    "content": " I wanted to bring a concern to the attention of the House. This is an issue that is not related to what we are doing at the moment. But in terms of what we are doing, there are issues. If some of us were in your shoes, we would be very worried if this happens when we are the leadership of the House. My point of worry is the extent at which we need to relook at how we work on the budget. I think this is where there are problems. CSs attend and are very keen at the budget stage, but are not keen on other things. Since they are keen during the budget stage, the role of this House and Departmental Committees needs to be checked. What goes on between the House, the National Treasury and Departmental Committees is a big problem that needs to be checked. Hon. Speaker, if you allow me, my issue is a concern I need to notify all MPs. As at now, there are things happening in your constituencies whether you know or not. There is recruitment and identification process of indigents. They are being identified for purposes of rolling over the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF). It is happening now and you need to know there are figures placed per county. The only irony, and this is where we need your opinion and some guidance, is the role of the county governments in identifying the indigents on behalf of the entire country. First, we allocate resources and in the Supplementary Budget we have placed Kshs10 billion for purposes of NHIF absorbing the first batch of indigents. NHIF got into an arrangement with the county governments. The persons identifying the indigents in the counties are from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and sub-county administrators. MPs are not involved and yet, this is national money for a national process and function. We are not aware that this is happening. If one was to take time, I have data in terms of what is happening in the counties. For example, I realized Homa Bay that is close to me because of Hon. Kaluma, they are identifying 24,000 households to be recruited. Similarly, Busia is recruiting around 24,000 and Siaya 19,000 households. They are recruiting in every constituency. If you look at that average for example, in my constituency Bondo, they are identifying close to 6,000 and I do not know the process. In terms of what I have received now, there is a problem. I wanted to bring this to the attention of the House. So, you can give guidance because we are giving money to NHIF knowing very clearly that county governments are a service provider. How comes a service provider that will benefit from this exercise is involved in identifying indigents. It is identifying the people who are supposed to be rolled in as NHIF members. So, I wanted to bring this to the attention of the House. I do not know the kind of direction you may want to take. But I want to believe there must be a way, how we can be involved as MPs in identification of what is going on in our constituencies at the moment. It is true we have placed money to a function that is ours and is being done by others. Thank you."
}