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{
    "id": 925897,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/925897/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 546,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Musuruve",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13188,
        "legal_name": "Getrude Musuruve Inimah",
        "slug": "getrude-musuruve-inimah"
    },
    "content": "that. You cannot oversight on the media or in newspapers. They need to physically oversight the projects and question them where they find that money for water was allocated and there is no water on the ground. They should question when they go to ward X and find no health centre, yet money was allocated for the same. Therefore, MCAs need to physically go and see the projects on the ground. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I remember that yesterday, Sen. Malalah, Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr., Sen. Shiyonga and I went to Kakamega County Assembly. We were just trying to build capacity of MCAs for them to know that they need to do oversight. In some cases, issues came up that in some hospitals, pregnant and lactating mothers share beds, and some even delivered on the floor. Where did a woman even give birth on the floor? It is uncalled for, and it should never happen in a country where we are talking about universal healthcare. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, there is need for real oversight in counties in order to ensure that development reaches and is useful to wananchi . We do not want patients from counties to travel all the way to the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) for referrals; these services need to be right there within the counties. That way, Kenyans will see that we are concerned about them, and that we are serious about universal healthcare. However, you cannot talk about universal healthcare, yet women are giving birth on the floors in hospitals and sharing beds with no bedsheets nor essential drugs. It should never happen. Drugs should never lack in our hospitals. In fact, as I speak now, drugs should be absolutely free. They should not be free in quotes, but absolutely free so that we can serve Kenyans well. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, if the audit report shows that money was allocated for drugs and for Level 5 hospitals, relevant indicators of that money should be seen. The indicators should show that this sum of money was given to a county government, and it used this much to develop Level 5 hospitals. Indicators of success should be seen, and they should be accompanied by public participation. Kenyans need to speak to these issues. Public participation will help Kenyans see the benefits of the money that is being sent to the counties. As Senate, we have to play our oversight role to defend Article 96 of the Constitution. We are here because of Kenyans and we are here to represent the county governments and their interests. We are also here to represent that vulnerable citizen. We need to know if they are taken care of. We also need to consider affirmative action. We need to know if some money has been allocated to the marginalised people and persons with disabilities. We have to interrogate such issues with a lot of seriousness that it deserves. I support this Report and I commend Sen. M. Kajwang’ for coming up with this document."
}