1/9As you all check out the #BBIReport and discuss “siasa”, let me also join with some siasa on healthcare. Everyone in Kenya knows a sick person, and knows a person who has done a mchango towards hospital bills. Right?

2/9I saw a proposal which says that senior government/county officials and their families have to be treated in public hospitals and take their children to public schools. #BBIReport argues that this will push them to upgrade public health/education services

3/9 While the spirit of the proposal comes from a good place (the heart), it is practically impossible to stop a minister from getting treated in a private facility. They can get a referral from the public facility to a private facility of their choice . #BBIReport

4/9 I think the proposal is borderline unconstitutional i.e discriminatory, and limitation of rights. But on this I defer to the legal authority of @AbdikadirMohami who wrote the katiba. He can speak to the potential (il)legality of the proposal. #BBIReport

5/9 But if you watched this brilliant story by @AfUncensored ( https://bit.ly/2QSzPxn ) , on the plight of people seeking healthcare in public hospitals, while serikali buys equipment without a needs assessment, you understand why people want this addressed #BBIReport

6/9 Tragedy is, health is a devolved function, but for some reason, lots of money are retained at the national government, while counties struggle. Everyone knows that in devolution “money should follow functions” For some reason #BBIReport wants us to discuss this. (See page 84)

7/9 About money following functions to the counties, the @CRAKenya does the maths & recommends the allocations. @KeTreasury and Bunge usually have other ideas about priorities. This doesn’t need #BBIReport. Folks should just follow the law. Why should we “discuss” impunity?

8/9 About the Health Service Commission, I am no expert. I defer to the authority of @LukoyeAtwoli

9/9 And lastly on Page 102 of the #BBIReport, there’s this: “Ministry of Health should have a Department of Happiness, Wellness, and Mental Health dedicated to working on policies and standards in this area.”. Well…