Senators were yesterday taken aback when it emerged that technical officers at the Ministry of Health had allocated billions of shillings to non-essential items not related to Kenyans’ healthcare.

The ministry’s accounting and technical officers were accused by the senators of prioritising capital development items because of the commissions they received while neglecting essential areas such as the Universal Health Coverage (UHC), payment of healthcare workers’ remunerations and pending bills.

Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni bore the brunt of the senators’ fury when she was told that she will not be judged by the number of physical projects the ministry has started during her tenure, but on how she addresses the challenges bedevilling health workers and the entire healthcare system.

The Senators were left in shock when the accounting officers were unable to explain reasons behind the increment of their budget from Sh91 billion to Sh172 billion, a whopping 98 per cent.

The senators who sit on the Committee of Health chaired by Uasin Gishu’s Jackson Mandago accused the ministry of budgeting for non-priority things, such as infrastructure, which have been bloating their budget annually.

At a session called to discuss the Budget Policy Statement (BPS), Medical Service Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai and Muthoni were pushed to the wall to shed light as to why their departments prioritised non-essential items at the expense of the healthcare of Kenyans.

Kimtai, who was the first to provide a breakdown of the ministry’s performance, was hard-pressed to explain why they require more money yet in the 2024/2025 financial year they had survived on a budget of Sh91 billion.

The ministry’s budgetary allocation has been enhanced to Sh172.6 billion in the 2025/2026 financial year. In total, they requested a budgetary allocation of Sh426.8 billion.

Kimtai’s attempts to explain that the Sh78 billion vote for the Social Health Authority (SHA) and the Sh1 billion towards settling presidential directives on various issues was behind the increase did not go down well with the senators who insisted that the budget is not justified.

Pending bills

“For the first time, SHA has been domesticated in our budget, which has led to an increment of Sh76 billion,” the PS explained, adding that in the last financial year, almost all Semi-Autonomus Government Agencies (SAGAs) did not have sufficient funds to pay for personal emoluments, forcing them to get the same from the monies given as Appropriations In Aid.

Mandago shot up however, questioning the increase in the budget and demanded to know where the money goes yet the ministry was yet to pay pending bills amounting to billions of shillings. He claimed that the ministry continued demanding for additional funding because it had taken over some functions of devolved units.

“These figures don’t make sense; you have huge pending bills and you have not completed projects under this financial year and yet you want to undertake out more next year. Why not look for money to complete them first,” he wondered.

Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina questioned whether projects initiated through presidential directives are usually budgeted for as most of them involve matters touching on counties.

Ledama, who questioned the Sh100 billion allocated for general administration, claimed the ministry has embarked on performing non-existent functions.

“I am concerned by two issues, converting devolved functions into a responsibility of the National Government. Budgeting close to Sh990 million for projects under presidential directives which are functions of the counties is totally misguided. The money should be taken back to counties. You need to discuss this with the president,” Ledama said.

Ledama expressed his dissatisfaction with the budge because of wastage.

“If the government cannot explain their budget then it is time we end this unnecessary wastage by budgeting for itemised votes.”

Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka also questioned whether SHA, through which Kenyans are being deducted money, is to blame for the increment in the budget.

Muthoni on the other hand was put to task by the senators for neglecting the plight of doctors and nurses employed under UHC during the Covid pandemic after failing to include Sh3.3 billion required to pay their salaries.

The senators told her that if she is unable to source for money for the healthcare workers, she should allow them to scrutinise the ministry’s budget and propose areas to slash the allocations to take care of the health workers.

Nominated senator Tabitha Mutinda sought to know the individuals who came up with the agreements between the staff and the unions as it is always surrounded in mystery, leaving the workers to suffer.

“It is so sad to take about billions like Sh30 billion required for projects yet young Kenyans who only require about Sh3.4 billion are suffering,” she said.

Mandago and Onyonka said it is wrong for the ministry to request for billions yet healthcare workers are suffering. Onyonka noted that the sector had been having a problem with doctors, nurses and clinical officers, wondering if it is possible to provide for remuneration for all people.

“We want to see the budget for the next financial year with the money for confirmation of the UHC workers. If you cannot do that bring the budget to us we can show you areas where we can get money from this budget, by just reallocating the funds,” Mandago added.

Kilifi senator Stewart Madzayo reminded Muthoni that a happy worker is a product of hard work.

“Please endeavour to make this money available,” he told the PS.