Counties will pay Kemsa Sh3billion owed to them once national government disburse Sh100billion to them, CoG say
The Council of Governors is raising the red flag over a fresh plot to return the health function to the National Government through a calculated smear campaign painting the devolved units as inept.
Consequently, the CoG is accusing the national government of denying them their equitable share now crossing the Sh100billion mark, a few days to the end of the 2023/2024 financial year.
As it stands now, counties have not received their equitable share from the national government for three months, including June 2024, yet, the IFMIS system reportedly slows down from mid-June.
Responding to a series of questions from journalists as a follow-up to a sustained media campaign on counties’ non-remittance of debts to the country’s medicine supplies authority, the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa), CoG Health Committee chairperson and Tharaka Nithi governor Muthomi Njuki questioned the motive behind the push, yet it is the national government that has not released resources to counties.
According to governor Njuki, the messaging around the debts owed by counties to Kemsa, had the hallmarks of a well thought out and executed scheme, keen on painting counties in bad blood.
“If the National Government stuck to the law and gave us our resources on the 15th of every month, no county would be having a debt of KEMSA. A debt is not bad. Infact, the agreement we have with KEMSA allows counties a 90 days’ repayment period. Doesn’t that marry with the period counties haven’t received their equitable share.”? He posed.
There has been a clamour by some officials at the national government to take over the health function and manage it from Nairobi as was before the advent of the 2010 constitution, but governors have stayed put, variously expressing gains made under devolution.
Governor Njuki noted that counties would not hesitate to clear debts owed to Kemsa immediately after they receive their share of revenue, but also reminded the national government to settle the Sh2billion pledge to KEMSA to capacitate the medical agency.
Kemsa says counties owe them about Sh3billion in arrears.
