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{
    "id": 476624,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/476624/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 345,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Aden",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 15,
        "legal_name": "Aden Bare Duale",
        "slug": "aden-duale"
    },
    "content": "them that, indeed, giving them Kshs5 billion once will not help. Through the referendum that we want to bring, we want to say that Turkana County should continuously get Kshs5 billion. As the Leader of the Majority Party rightly said, there are many minor confusing clauses in the current Constitution. So, when CORD says that there is need for a referendum to correct those issues, the initiative should be supported. The logic of it should be seen. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, the Level 5 hospitals are very important facilities in the counties where they exist. But I must say that those particular hospitals are referral facilities which serve people from many other counties. For that reason, I would like to say that in the subsequent year, we must move those institutions to the National Government. It is the only way we can be able to give them the attention that they deserve. When I visited Garissa General Hospital, which the referral facility that covers that vast region, I saw a condition which I thought would never be acceptable anywhere in Kenya. There were no drugs or any other supportive facilities. There were no beds. I hear that, that is the same situation at Kisii Level 5 Hospital. This shows that there is total failure across the country in the management of Level 5 hospitals. Therefore, the attention of the National Government is required in terms of ensuring that Level 5 hospitals are in the best form. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, the intent of devolution was to make sure that good services are taken to the lowest level in Kenya. We must, indeed, champion to have a Level 5 hospital in every county and have them funded from the national coffers, so that Kenyans can access good health services. Regarding the Kshs1.8 billion that we are approving, there are certain procedural issues we must taken note of as a House. The county governments, which are also going to benefit from this money, must also take note of those procedural issues. Unfortunately, we have gone through the full cycle of the budgeting process. We have done the national appropriation. We have actually passed the Appropriation Bill for the National Government. What we are trying to tell the National Treasury is for them to avail Kshs1.87 billion. Where will this money come from? That is a question we need to answer. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, the only way that money can become available is for the Cabinet Secretary to come up with a supplementary budget. He must seek the approval of this House to make available Kshs1.87 billion, which will then become available to the counties. So, to the Chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee – even though I am a Member of the Committee – I want to say that the Cabinet Secretary of the National Treasury must prepare a supplementary budget of Kshs1.87 billion to make that money available. Right now, that money is not available. It is going to be another shortfall within the approval of the Budget that we have passed. Each of the counties that have Level 5 hospitals must also prepare supplementary budgets, because most of them have already completed their budget process for the current financial year through their various county assemblies. My county of Garissa, which is also going to benefit from the Kshs1.87 billion, must take a supplementary budget to the County Assembly of Garissa to make sure that the money that will be available to them is appropriated, so that it can accordingly be utilised. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}