Senator Jackson Mandago Leads Senate Health Committee in Critical 2026 Budget Policy Statement Scrutiny

Earlier today, Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago chaired a session of the Senate Standing Committee on Health to review the 2026 Budget Policy Statement, reinforcing a firm commitment to equitable and sustainable health financing as Parliament begins detailed scrutiny ahead of the fiscal cycle. 

The meeting, part of the Senate’s deliberations on the national budget framework, focused on how proposed allocations and policy priorities will support health systems, universal health coverage (UHC) and county health functions under the devolved framework. The Budget Policy Statement for 2026/27 outlines strategic priorities and the fiscal outlook that will guide National and County Governments’ health spending in the coming financial year. 

In his remarks, Senator Mandago emphasised the Senate’s constitutional role in ensuring that health financing is fair, transparent and aligned with pressing national and local needs. “As we go through this Budget Policy Statement, we must ensure that the funding strategy leaves no one behind — especially the vulnerable who rely most on public health services,” he said.

Senators on the committee flagged several concerns during the session, including past criticisms of the Ministry of Health’s budgeting processes where some allocations were challenged as not sufficiently linked to essential health outcomes. In a comparable review last year, senators questioned large increases in health ministry budgets and urged prioritising healthcare workers’ remuneration and core services. 

The Committee also stressed the need to align national health priorities with county health systems, particularly around implementation of UHC and smooth financing flows to county health facilities. This comes amid broader public engagement, as the Senate has invited citizens and stakeholders to submit views on the 2026 Budget Policy Statement and the Medium‑Term Debt Management Strategy before final recommendations are delivered to the Senate floor. 

Under Senator Mandago’s leadership, the Health Committee will continue with consultations, including with the Ministry of Health and devolved health authorities, ahead of its formal report back to the Senate plenary. The outcomes of these deliberations are expected to influence how health sector priorities are funded in the upcoming financial year and beyond.