Kisii Governor James Ongwae has accused the national government of attempting to take the health sector from counties.
Speaking on Thursday at Gusii stadium during the launch of the second assessment of the systems of devolved government and the 2014/2015 annual report by the Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC), Ongwae said the national government is sabotaging the health sector by withholding funds from the sector.
“I want to put it clear that the health sector is not fully devolved. Interning nurses are under the national government and it’s the one that is responsible for their remuneration. We have had issues with the interns over their payment and we find it difficult to intervene in their stalemate. The funds for the sector are held at the national treasury and therefore we get it difficult to pay health workers and other functions in the county,” he said.
He added: “There should be transitory arrangement from one year to another and salaries should be sent to counties in time to avoid strikes that we see in various counties over delay in payment of salaries. For example, we have not received money for the months of July and August and that is thwarting the operations in the sector and that is causing delay in payment of salaries.”
Ongwae also blamed the national government for the delay in promoting 900 health workers in Kisii County. He said they are scrutinising the health workers’ personal files before promoting them.
Deputy Governor Joash Maangi noted that devolution is under attack and therefore asked the CIC to stand as the champion of devolution and protect devolved units.
“We applaud the role CIC is playing as far as devolution in concerned. We ask the commission for the remaining time to continue championing for protection of the devolved sectors because the national government is salivating at them and wants to reverse some in the name of failed management of the functions,” said Maangi.
CIC chairman Charles Nyachae promised to protect the health sector and other devolved.
“An ongoing challenge in the devolution system of governance is lack of or weak inter-governmental relations between county governments and the national government. There is hacking on the principals of the constitution and that is killing goodwill for devolution. CIC has tried its best and will not relent championing against any attempt aimed at sabotaging devolution,” said Nyachae.