The Medical Staff in Bungoma County through its leadership did a lean budget of about KES 123,000/- only for PPEs and submitted to the leadership of the Department of Health and Sanitation on or about the 16th March 2020.
The response was that there is no money for the purchase of the PPEs.
In less than 24 hours a letter requesting for borrowing of funds KES 6,986,000/- . The Subject was Re: Borrowing of Funds for Public Awareness Campaign on Corona Virus tommorow the 19th March 2020 as an Emergency. The said Memo came from Jonathan Namulala, the Chief Officer, Finance and Economic Planning addressed to the Chief Officer, Health and Sanitation. The letter is dated 18th March 2020 and is copied to the CECM, Health and Sanitation Dr. Anthony Walela.
On the same date of 18th March, 2020 a Memo from the County Chief Officer Health and Sanitation, Mr. Patrick Wandili was written to the Med. Supt, Bungoma County Referral Hospital. The Subject was Re: Borrowing of KSHS 6,986,000/- for Facilitation to Carry out a Public Awareness Campaign on Corona Virus.
The Memo requested the Med. Supt. to lend the Department of Finance KSHS. 6,986,000/- , with a promise that the funds will be refunded next week. The Chief Officer Health and Sanitation attached the letter from the Chief Officer Finance and Economic Planning for reference.
Questions and unanwered public concerns are as follows:
1. Why is it that the Medical/ Health Workers simple request of KSHS 123,000/- only for PPEs was turned down on the pretext that there were no funds and yet KSHS 6,986,000/- was requested and withdrawn within a period of less than 24 hours after rejecting the genuine request by the Medical Health Personnel.
2. Who between the Medical Health Personnel and the County Finance Department should have been facilitated to carry out the Public Awareness Campaign on Corona Virus?
3. Which Department should be borrowing, is it the Department of Health and Sanitation or the Department of Finance and Economic Planning to facilitate the Public Awareness Campaign on the Corona Virus?
4. What are the specific budgetlines and items that were purchased by the Department of Finance and Economic Planning for the fight against the Coronavirus as part of the Awareness Campaign?
5. Did the request and withdrawal of the aforementioned money from the bank go through the established Financial procedures for borrowing as stipulated in the Public Finance Management Act, 2012 and Regulations, even if it was for emergency intervention?
6. Was the Bungoma County Hospital Management Board consulted or did they pass any minute resolution to approve or allow the borrowing of the stated amount from the Hospital voterhead?
7. How were the suppliers identified , procured and paid by the Finance and Economic Planning Department?
8. Is there any breakdown and necessary receipts and documents for the expenditure of the KSHS 6,986,000/- ?
9.Who are the actual beneficiaries of the KSHS 6,986,000/- that was quickly approved and withdrawn in a period of less than 12 hours? Does it sound like the “story of Simon Makonde or was it stage managed process”?
10. Can we assume that the budgets and taps purchased and supplied to some market centres for less than Kshs 1500 each were part of the budgeted items for the borrowed amount?
11. The request letter for borrowing talks about the County not the Department of Finance and Economic Planning as the one borrowing the funds for the 19th March Exercise. Who is the duty bearer that was actually borrowing the funds from BCRH?
12. Has the money that was to be refunded by close of business on 27th March 2020 been refunded to the BCRH account by the Finance and Economic Planning Department or the so called ” County”?
13. Did the Internal Audit of the Department of Health and Sanitation pass or approve the borrowing of KSHS. 6,986,000/-?
14. Did the Controller of Budgets approve the County Government of Bungoma Emergency Fund by the close of the week thus on 27th March , 2020?
15. If the Controller of Budgets did approve how much was requested and aprroved as the Emergency Fund for the County Government of Bungoma for the fight against Corona Virus and other related expenditures?
16. Did the County Government of Bungoma include compensation of loss of business and livelihoods by the now jobless, businessless and incomeless people in Bungoma County caused by the Coronavirus panic and scare?
17. Has there been any needs assessment and/or rapid assessment carried out by the County Government of Bungoma to determine the level and magnitude of the Corona virus pandemic in terms of vulnerability in order to plan for contingency measures and rapid intervention if any?
18. How many people in Bungoma County are needy and requires assistance in terms of food, safe drinking water, medication, sanitizers and other sanitary materials, among other liveline needs?
19. How much money has been set aside or estimated to be spent on the Coronavirus epidemic and its related effects?
20. Has the County Government of Bungoma re-trained or adequately prepared its medical workers to fight the Coronavirus epidemic?
21. Does the Isolation Ward at Webuye Sub County Hospital have the testing equipment and other utilities required to effectively function as required in order to manage the potential cases of Corona virus in the County? Or is it mere Public Relations Exercise and Politics of Deceit as usual by H.E. Governor Wycliffe Wafula Wangamati and his cronies?
22. How can we ensure that there is full disclosure, transparency and accountability in the utilization of the Emergency Fund from the National Exchequer and from other Development partners and well-being wishers?
23. When is our beloved County Governor and his Team going to come out and test for Corona virus as an example for the rest of the County Citizens?
24.The County Governor of Bungoma must lead by example and demonstrate his leadership skills and abilities now or never!
25.The cardinal question that I would like to put across to the County Government of Bungoma, members of this Forum and other stakeholders is ;Is Bungoma County prepared to deal with the Coronavirus and its consequences?
26.Is it possible to come up with a Multi-Dimensional and Representatives Team to fight against the wall Virus? The answer is yes and the time to do so is now or never?
