The Council of Governors (COG) should rethink its position of denying members of the public access to healthcare due to the ongoing stalemate in the senate over the county revenue sharing formula.

United Green Movement [UGM] General Secretary Hamisa Zaja reminded the Chair of the COG Governor Wycliffe Oparanya that access to healthcare is a constitutional right.

“The party is saddened by the news that the COG has suspended County services,” she said.

Zaja said they are perturbed by the COG’s remarks that part of patients’ health services won’t be available due to the stalemate over the county revenue sharing formula.

The UGM Secretary General said in the press statement that it’s regrettable that it is the poor in Kenya who are going to suffer.

Zaja added that the rich can afford private healthcare but the lives of the poor in Kenya are at stake.

She insisted the constitution is very clear that the right to healthcare is fundamental and cannot be given in small measures or be limited.

“I am sorry to say this is denying citizens their constitutional right which must be protested,” she pointed out.

The UGM spokesperson said lack of money is not a reason to deny the Kenyan people their constitutional right to healthcare.

Zaja wondered why the government finds it easy to get money to build stadia, markets, roads and other things, which are good avenues for perpetrating corruption.

She said it is the obligation of the county governments to promote and provide healthcare and they have to find funds for it.

“The lack of money does not take away these obligations. Granted that there is a cash crunch in the counties thanks to a bigoted senate,” she pointed out.