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{
    "id": 1462244,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1462244/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 92,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Chute",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13583,
        "legal_name": "Chute Mohamed Said",
        "slug": "chute-mohamed-said"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. Let me first take this opportunity to congratulate the Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) who have been sworn in today. Secondly, the Senate Majority Leader has raised an issue here. I want to notify him as the Chairperson of the National Cohesion, Equal Opportunities and Regional Integration Committee, that we have already invited the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) today. We had a meeting with the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) today. We have invited the Public Service Commission (PSC) who have asked for more time. Coming back to the statements, I want to contribute to the Statement by Sen. Kathuri. We have a problem in this country, mainly health issues. In Marsabit, health workers were not paid for almost five months. Interns were not paid for almost six months and up to seven months for some of them. Last week, a lady called me from Marsabit. She visited a hospital in Moyale, where she was given a list for an inpatient that she was to admit in that hospital. In the list, she was to bring a water bucket, bar soap, one bed sheet, slippers, a pillowcase, syringes, surgical gloves and mattresses. In some instances, a patient will be asked to bring water. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I urge the Senate to visit hospitals. We need to ask the Standing Committee on Health to organise for a programme of visiting hospitals. Let me give you an example. About two weeks ago, staff at the Marsabit Hospital were demonstrating. What will happen to the patients if the staff demonstrate because they have not been paid their salaries? In November 2023, the CoB released Kshs264 million to Marsabit County, but salaries have not been paid for that period. I brought that statement and got a response from CoB that the money has been dispatched. That if they have not been paid, the governor should be questioned. We have a problem in our counties. I support that we need to do something on the issue of pending bills. The people suffering out there are Kenyans. Some of them have borrowed money or even sold their properties. You will find somebody going to the hospital not because he is sick, but because of depression. I thank the Senator for Narok for bringing this issue to the Floor of this House. The Motion he has brought must be dealt with as you said, Hon. Speaker. Finally, we need to have a conversation on what is supposed to be done to the counties. This morning, we had an opportunity to have the Director General of PPRA before us. He told us that there is a big problem with procurement in counties and even the national Government. That is why we have pending bills. When they come and source for money, the money that is supposed to go to a particular contractor or supplier is diverted somewhere else. We need to have a conversation on this as a Senate that can curtail those counties. I request this House to take this matter of hospitals of counties very seriously."
}