Elachi: Mismanagement of public funds is the main problem behind standoff on doctors' strike

According to the legislator, the crisis the nation is facing including the ongoing doctors' strike is the product of pilferage by public servants.

"We have refused to agree that we mismanage our own revenue that we collect. There is no country across East Africa that has money the way Kenya is wealthy," she said speaking in an interview with KTN on Monday.

"Kenyans believe in paying revenue the only mistake we have is when we let the leadership handle the (public) purse. It becomes unfortunate how we are doing our things."

Elachi was responding to a recent report by the Auditor-General which put six counties on the spot for failing to account for the usage of public money.

The counties put under scrutiny were Nairobi (Ksh.21 billion), Narok (Ksh.4.7 billion), Nyamira (Ksh.2.3 billion), Kiambu (Ksh.2.7 billion), Baringo (Ksh.1.9 billion), Tana River (Ksh.1.1 billion).

Elachi recommended that the Treasury should formulate an itemised budget to allow streamlined management of monies sent to counties.

Doctors have borne the brunt of limited financial resources as the government has maintained it will not increase salaries for health workers.

Some leaders in the opposition have argued that denying a critical sector -health- resources will have vast ramifications, a crisis they say can easily be solved by prioritising money for the key national sectors.