Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha on Thursday, May 18, read a riot act to Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) staff and ordered those working from home to report to work on Friday, May 19.
Speaking during a press briefing at the KEMSA headquarters, the health CS issued a stern warning to corrupt individuals at the institution, adding that she will stop at nothing in fighting corruption cartels.
“We have individuals who taint the image of this institution, I will not stop at anything, even if it means sending home a whole department am ready to deal with it,” she confirmed.
Nakhumicha accused the KEMSA management for allowing over 200 employees to work from home since 2021 for organizational restructuring.
The Health CS noted that KEMSA had confronted so many issues and the major one was mismanagement of staff.
She called on the acting KEMSA CEO Dr Andrew Mulwa to recall employees working from home to report to work on Friday May 19.
“I hereby direct the CEO effective tomorrow morning, over 200 KEMSA workers working from home to report to work by 8.00 am,” the CS stated.
At the same time, she directed the board chairperson Irungu Nyakera to clearly communicate to the workers of what is expected of them and guide them accordingly.
“It is irresponsible to have paid over 200 workers for two years when they were sitting at home, in the name of the pandemic, yet we work from offices nowadays,” she added.
She urged the human resource department to exercise its duties diligently in monitoring employees performance in ensuring service delivery.
At the same time the CS insisted that KEMSA must be clean, and that the Ministry of Health was going to weed out all the cartels in the institution.
Nakhumicha also assured KEMSA staff that she was ready to work with them in ensuring better service to the people of Kenya.
“Should you see, should you smell something that smells like corruption, please come and let me know, I will name and shame whoever that will be brought to my attention,” she concluded.
The Health CS remarks came days after President William Ruto on May 15, terminated the appointment of Josephine Mburu as the Principal Secretary, State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards over the alleged impropriety within KEMSA.
In a statement signed by Felix Koskei, Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, the president also revoked the appointment of the chairperson and dissolved the entire KEMSA board.
Consequently, the Head of State appointed Irungu Nyakera as chairperson of the board and reconstituted the entire board with four new appointees namely FCPA Hezbon Oyieko Omollo, Bernard Kipkirui Bett, Dr. Jane Masiga and Jane Nyagaturi Mbatia.
The president also suspended Terry Ramadhani as KEMSA Chief Executive Officer alongside eight other staff members.
At the same time, Ruto appointed Dr. Andrew Mutava Mulwa as KEMSA's acting CEO.
