“We had invited the Health Secretary James Macharia to come to Naivasha where we had a meeting with Governors and he refused. He has refused since February and we have never met since then,” he said/FILE
Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto indicated that Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia has refused to meet them to iron out contentious issues.
He stated that despite numerous invitations, he has declined to meet the Governors with the latest being a meeting which took place in Naivasha last Friday.
“We had invited the Health Secretary James Macharia to come to Naivasha where we had a meeting with Governors and he refused. He has refused since February and we have never met since then,” he said.
Ruto recalled that Deputy President William Ruto had asked Macharia in February this year to meet the Governors to discuss the issue but he failed to show up.
He reiterated that the Chief County Executives will not sign the agreement for the equipment before they are taken through the agreement by the National Government.
“And just the other day the Deputy President again told us to sign the deals but we have not met with your minister. Had you not told him to meet us,” he stated.
Governor Ruto explained that every county has priorities on the equipment that they need for their hospitals and will not take blanket orders from the National Government.
“They have got to explain to us what the deal involves and we have got to tell them which equipment we need in Kisumu, Bondo, Bomet, Kericho, Kakamega; it is the doctors in those areas who have got to identify the equipment that they need to treat the people of Kenya,” he stated.
He was speaking at Otieno Oyoo secondary school in Kisumu County during a thanksgiving ceremony for Governor Jack Ranguma, where he stated that the deal was shrouded in mystery and need to be sorted out.
“Right now they are saying that the governments have refused to sign contracts on some deal for medical equipment. They bring to us the last page and when we ask where the rest of the contact, is they tell us that Macharia has read it for us and it is okay,” he said.
Ruto pointed out that the amount of money involved in the operational of those equipments is questionable and Governors will not be used to authenticate services that are not clear.
“The other day we asked how much the equipment costs and if you buy it is Sh181 million. But we are being told that you sign here, you will receive the equipment now, you will pay Sh95 million for eight years. Ninety Five multiplied by eight is Sh760 million for equipment worth Sh181 million. This is corruption,” he stated.
He underscored the need for Governors to be involved in such projects from the inception and not to be ambushed to sign unclear deals.
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