{"id":804888,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/804888/?format=json","text_counter":166,"type":"speech","speaker_name":"Mr. Henry Rotich","speaker_title":"The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury","speaker":{"id":13142,"legal_name":"Henry Rotich","slug":"henry-rotich"},"content":"In order to continue with the initiatives of His Excellency the President on universal health care, we have provided a total of Kshs13.7 billion to further support the Free Maternal Healthcare programme and leasing of medical equipment. In view of the increasing cases of cancer-related deaths, early screening and management is imperative. We have allocated Kshs7.0 billion for leasing of Computed Tomography Scanners Equipment, which will help diagnose the disease at an early stage and curb cancer deaths. I have also allocated Kshs400 million for the establishment of the Cancer Institute. Hon. Speaker, other allocations to improve health service delivery include Kshs2.9 billion for the Doctors, Clinical Officers and Nurses Internship Programme; Kshs11.7 billion for the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Kshs7.7 billion for the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kshs2.2 billion for the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and Kshs4.7 billion for the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC). On the Affordable Housing Programme, the initiatives we plan to implement will draw in private sector involvement to develop housing units that a majority of Kenyans can afford. In order to roll out the housing programme, we have provided Kshs3.0 billion for construction of affordable social housing units by the Government and Kshs1.5 billion for construction of housing units for National Police Service and Prison Service officers. We have also provided Kshs1.5 billion for the Civil Servant Housing Scheme Fund to support the offtake of the housing units. We plan to provide infrastructure and utilities to urban land owned by both the national Government and county governments and invite the private sector to develop affordable housing units. To this end, we will restructure the Kenya Urban Support Programme, Kisumu Urban Project and Nairobi Metropolitan Services Improvement Project to provide Kshs18.4 billion to support the servicing of land in various towns in the country to bring in private developers into the affordable housing programme. Hon. Speaker, as I stated earlier, the Government has successfully implemented the Economic Transformation Agenda during the last five years. This has created a strong and solid foundation for economic transformation and industrialisation as envisaged in the Kenya Vision 2030. Building on this progress made thus far, the strategy going forward will involve implementing programmes and policies that support achievement of the Big Four Plan so as to bolster economic growth and job creation. Hon. Speaker, in order to achieve the Big Four Plan, it will be critically important to ensure that the following key enablers are implemented: (a) continued macro-economic stability; (b) enhanced security; (c) targeted infrastructure; (d) expanded technical training; (e) technology innovation; and, (f) addressing vigorously the cancer of corruption. Hon. Speaker, recognising the importance of security as an enabler for the achievement of our development goals, the Government has continued to implement reforms targeted at supporting our security forces and guaranteeing Kenyans safety. We shall build on the on-going security reforms by scaling-up investments in security infrastructure. In order to support these initiatives, I have set aside Kshs8.9 billion for enhanced security operations, Kshs29.8 billion for police and military modernisation, Kshs3.0 billion for securing our borders and Kshs9.2 billion for leasing of police vehicles. In order to improve the welfare of our police officers, I have The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposes only. Acertified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."}