Governors are demanding the immediate release of counties’ equitable share of national revenue, which is yet to hit their accounts since December last year.
The Council of Governors (CoG) yesterday said failure by the National Treasury to release funds to the counties has greatly affected services, especially in the health sector, at a time the country is battling a deadly third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking during a CoG update on the county governments’ preparedness to combat Covid-19 in Nairobi, council chairman and Embu Governor Martin Wambora urged the national government to move with speed to enable the 47 devolved units to fight the pandemic.
“The National Treasury should release our share of allocation on time, without delays as has been the case. As of now, counties have not received funds since December. We have three months outstanding; January, February and March,” Governor Wambora said.
The council has tasked its Finance committee chairman and Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi to engage the National Treasury and ensure Sh4.6 billion given to the counties by the World Bank is released for use in fighting the pandemic.
The grant from the World Bank was meant to support development projects in the counties under the Kenya Devolution Support Programme (KDSP).
“We want to divert the Sh4.6 billion from the World Bank for the KDSP for purposes of containing the third wave,” Mr Wambora said. Though residents of the five counties that were locked down by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday last week have complained and demanded that the measures be lifted, the CoG expressed support for the presidential directives.
“The Council of Governors supports these tough compliance measures. It is one of the key responsibilities of the national and county governments to protect Kenyans’ lives,” Mr Wambora said.
According to the CoG, cessation of movement in and out of Nairobi, Nakuru, Kiambu, Machakos and Kajiado counties could not have come at a better time.
“Kenya’s health facilities and intensive care units have a shortage of oxygen, which is a major concern, hence the move to restrict movement in and out of the zoned areas in order to contain the virus,” the CoG boss said.
The CoG clarified that residents of the areas where movement has been restricted can move freely within the five counties.
The restrictions have seen some counties introduce safety nets to alleviate suffering. Some counties have announced tax waivers on small-scale businesses and the fire-fighting sector. For instance, Embu County recently released Sh16 million to cushion the youth and their businesses.
While it is only some parts of the country that were put on lockdown, Governor Wambora urged Kenyans to continue following the protocols set by the Ministry of Health to prevent the spread of the new variants of Covid-19.
“Now that we are experiencing a more challenging situation regarding the new contagious Covid-19 variant, the citizens, county governments and the national government must team up. We will continue to follow through with the national campaign of ‘no mask, no service’,” he said.
“It is worth noting that Covid-19 vaccine does not guarantee full protection against the virus and extra care is needed for both the vaccinated and the non-vaccinated. The success of the fight against the virus solely depends on individual adherence to the protocols issued by the Ministry of Health,” the CoG boss said.
A joint inter-governmental health committee has been formed by the CoG and the Ministry of Health.
The team will be co-chaired by CoG health committee chairman and Kisumu Governor Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o and Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe.
The committee will be coordinating Covid-19 containment efforts, financial support from development partners as well as harmonising medical equipment donations to the country. BY DAILY NATION