Two Groups to petition County Government of Kisumu over review of finance Act 2018.

 Kenya Female Advisory Organization{KEFEADO} Executive Director Easter Achieng{M} explains a point during a press briefing in Kisumu.The two organizations plans to petition the County Government of Kisumu to review the Finance Act of 2018 on maternity fees-Photo By Dickson Odhiambo

By Dickson Odhiambo

  

January 21, 2019.

 Two Groups to petition County Government of Kisumu over review of finance Act 2018.

TWO Lobby groups have promised to have serious engagement with both the Executive and Legislative wings of the County Government of Kisumu while seeking the review of the Finance Act of 2018 especially on matters of maternity fees.

The two groups known as Community Empowerment and Media Initiative in Kisumu{CEMI-K} and the Kenya Female Advisory Organization{KEFEADO} plans to present a petition to both the Executive and the County Assembly wings of the County Government of Kisumu so as to consider amending the Finance Act 2018.

Addressing the media in Kisumu today the Patron of Community Empowerment and Media Initiative in Kisumu {CEMI-K} Bernard Okebe and the Executive Director of the Kenya Female Advisory Organization {KEFEADO} Easter Achieng say they have carried out an advocacy program across the various wards within the county on the Kisumu County Finance Act 2018 and its impact on the maternity fees on women and general society but  what has come out clearly during such community forums with the local communities is that the public wants the Act reviewed especially its sections on maternity fees.

They say the two organizations plan to do this before next month when the County Assembly of Kisumu resumes its sittings after the long recess from December last year to February 7 this year.

The Patron of Community Empowerment and Media Initiative in Kisumu {CEMI-K} Bernard Okebe says the two organizations have received petitions from members of the public during the community engagement forums where they have talked on the need to review the Finance Act 2018.

Okebe says the two lobby groups will come up with one petition to present to both the Executive and legislative wings of the County Assembly of Kisumu on the issue.

He says members of the public are currently signing petitions on the need to review the Act, adding that after this process they will head to County  Assembly to seek audience with the relevant Committees like that of Health and the one for the Budget and Appropriation to present the matter.

“We will take those petitions to the right committees at the County Assembly of Kisumu especially the Committee on Health and that of Budget and Appropriation Committees. We will also continue with the lobbying until the review of this Act is done and the public have clear information,” Okebe says.

He says the two organizations are also lobbying to get a Member of the County Assembly of Kisumu who can table a motion seeking for the review of the Kisumu County Finance Act of 2018.

The Executive Director of the Kenya Female Advisory Organization {KEFEADO} Easter Achieng says presenting  the petition to both the county Assembly of Kisumu and the Executive wing should be done before February 28 this year when the Kisumu County Fiscal Strategy Paper{CFSP} should be tabled at the County Assembly of Kisumu so as to be approved within two weeks.

She says the CFSP is the document that contains outlook on the expenditure, revenue and borrowing for the medium term.

Achieng says by mid next month, the two lobby groups should have done advocacy for certain things to have more clarity so that the information reaching the public including those on improved services within the health facilities.

“By mid-February this year, there is need for us to do serious advocacy for certain things to have clarity because the County Fiscal Strategy Paper should be passed by the County Assembly of Kisumu by the end of February. By that time, we should be able to have changes in the County Fiscal Strategy Paper because this is what guides the roll out of the budget within the county and at the National level,” Achieng says.

The two Organizations have been engaging the members of the Public within Kisumu County while carrying out advocacy programs on the Kisumu County Finance Act 2018 and its impact on the maternity fees on women and general society.

They argue that the charges leveled on maternity issues within the Kisumu County Finance Act 2018 is about sh14,000 including when a mother delivers normally to pay shs 5,000 and  sh7,000 paid by a mother who will deliver through caesarian section is very high hence many women especially those with low income can’t afford such  fees.

During the Community engagement forums held in various wards within Kisumu County recently, it appeared that the public were not very much aware of the maternity fees included in the Act until the two lobby groups conducted serious advocacy programs on the same.

It is against this background that the members of the public in Kisumu County now want to petition both the County Assembly of Kisumu and the Executive wings while seeking the review of the Finance Act of 2018 especially on matters of maternity fees.

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