Dan Maanzo: Health is not fully devolved
By Joel Masibo, August 13, 2025Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo has faulted the national government for failing to fully devolve the health sector, warning that systemic corruption and political interference are crippling service delivery in public hospitals.
Speaking on a local radio station on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, on the state of healthcare in the country, Maanzo said health functions, which were constitutionally devolved to counties, remain under the shadow of the national government through questionable equipment leasing arrangements and skewed funding structures.
His sentiments come amid the health crisis facing most counties in the country, the latest being Machakos County, where the payment and promotion stalemate between the County Government and the health workers has left patients at the devolved unit’s health facilities in agony.
“Health, which is supposed to be devolved, has never really been fully devolved. The government has allegedly leased some equipment to counties from certain suppliers, and counties are required to pay for them, even though the equipment is very expensive and has not worked for years,” said Maanzo.
He pointed out that the distribution of funds to counties is still heavily influenced by the national government and the National Assembly, leaving the Senate constitutionally mandated to protect county interests sidelined. Governors have, on most occasions, blamed the national government for late funds disbursement as part of the reason the health sector in various county governments is crippled.
Money allocation
“When it comes to allocating money to the counties, it is more influenced by the national government and the National Assembly than by the Senate, and that matter is currently being canvassed at the Supreme Court,” he added.
Senator Maanzo linked the country’s healthcare challenges to entrenched graft, saying corruption has now been “devolved” and is draining resources meant to improve services. “The problem in this country is corruption at the national level, which has now been devolved, and our taxes are being looted left, right, and centre. We have weakened institutions: weakened county governments, a weakened National Assembly, and a weakened Senate. We have a lot of unaddressed problems that are being swept under the carpet to ensure that devolution stalls and is not achieved as required by law.”
His remarks come as Machakos County grapples with mounting health sector woes, with reports of chronic drug shortages, malfunctioning medical equipment, and delayed salaries for healthcare workers. Key facilities, including the Machakos Level 5 Hospital, have been forced to scale down services, pushing desperate patients to seek treatment in private clinics or travel to Nairobi.
Maanzo urged both levels of government to urgently address these systemic failures, warning that the continued neglect of the health sector undermines the very spirit of devolution and leaves millions of Kenyans without access to quality care.