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{
    "id": 787920,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/787920/?format=api",
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    "content": "under the Intergovernmental Relations Act, the counties should have delegated their role under the health function to him as the CS to negotiate on their behalf. During the public hearing that begins tomorrow, I will be asking questions about these negotiations that appear to have been done without the consent of governors. On funding for level five hospitals, I am unhappy about the increase; it is too little. As we increase other functions, the function of health is not properly funded and we must continue saying that the 11 Level five hospitals mentioned by my Chairman, Sen. (Eng.) Mahamud are completely underfunded. That is the reason the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) is saying that county governments owe them Kshs2.8 billion for supply of medicine. Why is that so? One is delay in disbursements and two, inadequate funding. Madam Temporary Speaker, we must tell the National Treasury that once we pass the Division of Revenue Bill and the County Allocation of Revenue Bill into Acts of Parliament, they do not have discretion under Article 229 of the Constitution to say: “Since Makueni County is prudent in spending their money and they have x amount in their account, we are not going to send them resources.” This Senate must stand firm, irrespective of the political consequences, the “handshake” notwithstanding. No discretion is allowed on the Schedule that we have passed as a House. We must have that as a principle, otherwise the National Treasury will be looking at the country revenue as a dashboard and send money as they please. The second consequence is that governors will be withdrawing money from their accounts haphazardly for whatever purpose so that they satisfy the National Treasury that they are spending it. So, the principle should be that if money is allocated to a county which it has planned for and it is in the account, there should be no discretion by the National Treasury to see whether the money is being spent. As we speak, Makueni County has received only 33 per cent while Mombasa, Kiambu and others have received 59 per cent. We are not endowed the same. Nairobi and Mombasa have the benefit of being the major cities. Therefore they collect their own revenue and can sustain themselves. That is not a parameter under the law. Again, the Senate must pronounce itself concerning the marginalisation policy on the Equalisation Fund because arrangements are being done by our colleagues in the National Assembly. They are sending lists to the national Government for the Equalisation Fund yet those matters affect counties. I am aware that the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) has requested to meet the Senators concerning the marginalisation policy. They have proposed to either use wards or sub-locations. In both ways we will benefit. I am of the view that since sub- locations were structures under the provincial administration that should have been abolished under the new Constitution, they should use the wards. Whatever the instance, I am not convinced that some sub-location somewhere in counties like Makueni will find itself in the 1,400 or so locations that they have identified as having been marginalised for water, health and other facilities. Sen. Cherargei mentioned something and I want to ask a fundamental question. How can it be that the Strategic Grain Reserve for 2014/2015 was Kshs2.7 billion, 2015/2016 was Kshs2.2 billion, which was the same for 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 was 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."
}