Uhuru Gives CS Kagwe 30-day Ultimatum on KEMSA Scandal

File image of President Uhuru Kenyatta
File image of President Uhuru Kenyatta
PSCU

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday, August 31 directed the Ministry of Health to make public all the tenders procured by Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) for transparency purposes.

This follows a directive he issued on Wednesday, August 26 where he ordered investigative agencies to expedite the investigation and present a report within 21 days. 

President Uhuru was speaking during the Covid-19 Virtual Conference and ordered the Ministry of Health to make avail all the tenders for public scrutiny.

The referenced media source is missing and needs to be re-embedded.

"I also hereby direct that the Ministry of Health within the next 30 days must come up with a transparent, open method and mechanism through which all tenders and procurement done by KEMSA are available online so that we can see who has been awarded a tender.

"This level of transparency through the use of technology will go a very long way towards ensuring that we have confidence of people that those placed in institutions are able to manage resources of our taxpayers," he directed.

Uhuru added that the process will enable the public to be in the know on who was awarded a tender, the value of the tender, what the tender was for, monitor progress of the tender, how it was evaluated, monitor other bids and who was finally awarded the tender.

The President revealed that the process will also be implemented by all government departments both at national and county level and all other arms of government.

Uhuru noted that issues touching on graft in procurement is not just an issue the Ministry of Health but all government procurements at the national, county, judiciary and parliament.

The Ministry of Health was on Friday, August 28 roped into the KEMSA scandal after suspended CEO Jonah Manjari claimed that CS Mutahi Kagwe and PS Susan Mochache pressured him to procure Covid-19 items.

Ethics and Anti-Corruption is already investigating the alleged theft of the Covid-19 billions where a total of 12 companies were allegedly awarded tenders worth Ksh3 billion to supply items that were not covered in KEMSA's budget as at June 4, 2020.

 

Politicians clashed publicly on the KEMSA scandal with Deputy President William Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga going at each other over how to get to the bottom of the graft. 

An image of Susan Mochache
Ministry of Health Principal Secretary Susan Mochache speaking at a past event.
  • .