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    "id": 595614,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/595614/?format=api",
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    "content": "evacuate those who are affected or Americans will come in and restock livestock in Ijara or Turkana. We must start and let our friends, well-wishers and donors, help to boost what we are already doing. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, we need to have a percentage of the Budget set aside for disaster management and preparedness. Where no disasters fall, then, the money should be reverted to the Treasury for the following year’s financial cycle. We do not want a situation where – on a prediction that is suspect and unbelievable such as El Niño – we go public and say that we have a budget of Kshs30 billion for El Nino and the money is being spent. If what we have been seeing is true, then, this country needs divine intervention. How on earth can you continence a fact that a bar of soap that costs Kshs150 over the counter in any kiosk is being procured at Kshs37,500? How on earth can you continence the fact that a pack of sanitary towels for women and girls that costs Kshs150 are being procured at Kshs7,500? This is the problem that this country is facing. We have lost direction and sense of value for money. People in positions of responsibility have run away with the country. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, you saw the case of wheelbarrows in Bungoma County. I sat here in horror listening to the case of Murang’a. I do not want to pre-empt debate. However, how do you escalate a budget from Kshs7 million to Kshs240 million, if that is true? These are not people who should be walking and breathing fresh air. They are people who should be in jail. Rev. Njoya was nearly killed outside this Parliament by a man called Likhotio while fighting for the freedom for devolution. Now, it is like the proverbial case of homeguards versus freedom fighters. Those who are ensconced in palatial places have wheeled their way into positions of leadership in counties and they are doing things that given the right opportunity, some of them would be hanged at Uhuru Park. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I had a case in my own county where we arrested a procurement process. My sister, Sen. Mugo, who has been the Minister for Health, would be horrified to hear the issue of orthopedic Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds. I have done my research in MP Shah and every other hospital. The Germany technology Hi-tech ICU bed costs an average of Kshs5 million. Do you know what was happening in my county? Five beds were being procured for the ICU. First of all, we have no ICU in my county. Therefore, they were buying ICU beds where there is no ICU. Beds that would cost a maximum of Kshs25 million were being procured for Kshs175 million. You cannot believe, yet this is happening almost in every county. When we start looking at disaster management, we must also with the hindsight of experience we have now gathered see the largesse; the outright looting that goes on in counties. People who hardly had a second car are now driving convoys of 20 Toyota Prados with sirens. Even our President does not drive in a convoy of 20 Toyota Prados. Demi-gods have been created using public funds. The roads are impassable yet those responsible live like kings. Today, the health sector is part of our disaster in the country. The national Government must sit with county governments and make a decision on what we should do on health matters. We have suggested many times that while the Constitution rightly 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."
}