Persons living with HIV are among the casualties of lack of proper sitting between members of the National Assembly and the Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani to deliberate and regulate the spending of Sh4.95 billion that was to go for funding prevention programme as well as the procurement and disbursement of essential HIV commodities.
Some of the critical include Cotrimoxazole, an excellent enabler of preventing opportunist infections.
Farmers will not be spared either as they are set to feel the standoff’s impact, as they were to benefit from Sh3 billions, which was imperative as a subsidy for fertiliser. Sh2 billion was for training teachers under a training fund established last year.
Although the National Assembly is on a 14-day recess, the budget allocation committee blames Yatani for the delay, citing his lack of commitment to appear before the committee.
The government is at liberty to spend money that has not been appropriated by the national assembly using funds from the contingency fund.
The government would seek the House’s approval at least before the lapse of two months after the cash withdrawal.
