Kisii Governor James Ongwae has called on the National Assembly to cautiously review the Health Bill, 2015 to avoid jeopardising the health sector across the country.
Ongwae who was speaking on Friday at Nyamecheo in Nyaribari Chache Sub-County during a fundraiser in aid of 13 churches, said counties had made significant steps in transforming healthcare services in the country.
He said for the past three years, the counties have worked to improve health services noting that in Kisii County for instance, they have made available kidney dialysis and CT-Scan services that were unavailable 50 years ago.
“We have worked and are still working to ensure that devolution succeeds and especially the health sector. The plans that the government has of reverting the heath docket to the national government are ill advised and Parliament should carefully consider that,” said Ongwae.
The National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi who was the chief guest said that the National Government was committed to ensuring devolution was working.
He said Parliament was not about to retreat or back down on the issue, adding that the constitution must be followed and that there must be consultation and agreement before any transfer of functions between county and national governments.
“The government fully supports devolution though there might be a few challenges in between but proper procedures and consultations must be followed as stipulated in the constitution before any function is taken by the national government. The people must be consulted first,” said Muturi.
Also present at the funds drive were Members of Parliament Manson Nyamweya (South Mugirango), Zebedeo Opore (Bonchari), Ben Momanyi (Borabu), Richard Tong’I (Nyaribari Chache), Elijah Moindi (Nyaribari Masaba) and the Constitution Implementation Commission chair Charles Nyachae.
The Kisii County Assembly Speaker Kerosi Ondieki and several Members of County Assembly were also in attendance.