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{
"id": 1565497,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1565497/?format=api",
"text_counter": 182,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Tabitha Mutinda",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "In reference to procurement of new medical equipment, how do we continue running hospitals without the right and modern equipment that are needed? Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to proceed to meeting the outstanding obligation under the doctors Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The issue of the doctors is a pertinent issue that needs to be addressed, once and for all. Health is devolved. Therefore, the county governments need to get funding to be able to sort the issue of the doctors’ CBA. This explains the decision for Kshs465 billion. I say so because this is a lot of money. It is not pocket change and it has to make sense for our brothers at the National Assembly to understand why we are asking that we approve the Kshs465 billion to the County Government? These are some of the many recurrent expenses. Of course, there is the annual wage rift. Every year, as you know, there is annual wage and salary increment for the staff. So, where do they get the money if we do not consider this? Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I keep on supporting Kshs465 billion to the county governors, I would like to remind them to sort the stinking animal, called the pending bills. We cannot be on the floor all the time understanding the situations at the county and pushing for more funding if the governors are also not doing what they are supposed to do. They need to ensure that their pending bills are at zero levels. I was so impressed yesterday in Kitui County. We met the County Assembly and they reported to us that their pending bill is at zero. They have no pending bill. These are the same institutions working in the same counties. Which formula is this one using versus the other one? I know there are challenges in terms of timely disbursement of funds from the National Treasury, but there should be schedules that should be adhered to clear that. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in our many observations, we note that there has been marginal growth in the county equitable share from the previous financial years, despite the substantive growth in the shareable revenue. In financial year 2025/2026, which is this year, while shareable revenue is estimated to grow by 10 per cent, which is Kshs259 billion. Counties are projected to increase by Kshs17.7 trillion from this revenue growth. That, over the years, the county equitable share has an average of 2.23 of the Gross domestic product (GDP) and in the financial year 2025/2026, nominal GDP is projected to be Kshs19.5 trillion. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Committee made the following recommendations- That, Clause 3 be amended to make a reference to Article 202(i) of the Constitution, which requires revenue raised nationally be equitably shared between the national and the county levels. The Committee emphasized on this because it is in the Constitution. It is not our words. We are not making this. The schedule to the Bill be amended such that the total shareable revenue is Kshs2.7 trillion. Remember I said earlier, the Cabinet Secretary tabled and communicated that the projected revenue collection is not Kshs2.8 trillion, but Kshs2.7 trillion. We adopted that, so, the total shareable revenue to be at Kshs2.756 trillion. The most recent accounts of the revenue as approved by the National Assembly, as I earlier communicated, is at Kshs1.9 trillion for Financial Year 2021/2022. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}