Deputy President Kithure Kindki special meeting of the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC)./DPCS
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki intervened after Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi was stopped from using his podium during a special meeting of the Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) on Monday.
In a video from the meeting, Kindiki is heard questioning why the Council of Governors chairperson could not use his podium.
“If he uses my podium, what would happen to me?” Kindiki is heard asking.
The Deputy President then appeared to dismiss the disagreement, urging those involved to move on.
“Muache hii, ni mambo ya zamani. These are useless things. He is just next there,” Kindiki said.
He later asked Abdullahi to make brief remarks before the meeting proceeded with its agenda.
“I would want to request my brother, the chair of CoG, to make two or three remarks, and then we start the agenda of the day. Thank you very much and have a good day,” Kindiki said.
Governor Abdullahi later addressed the meeting without using Kindiki’s podium.
The incident happened during a special IBEC session convened to streamline the transfer of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) staff to county governments and address the remittance of Social Health Authority (SHA) deductions by county governments.
The meeting also reviewed progress in the government’s Taifa Care programme, with officials describing the UHC system as one of the boldest and most transformative health initiatives in the developing world.
The government says 32.3 million Kenyans are currently enrolled in the programme. It also says the equipping of hospitals is ongoing, alongside reforms aimed at improving the efficiency of medical commodity supplies.
According to the government, 107,000 Community Health Promoters, 25,000 medical interns and 262 registrars have been deployed over the past four years to strengthen healthcare delivery.
A toll-free emergency medical number, 922, has also been introduced to connect patients with the nearest ambulances and provide free 24-hour stabilisation treatment, regardless of whether they are enrolled under SHA.
