Members of Parliament on Wednesday grilled Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) Acting CEO Dr. Andrew Mulwa tasking him to explain why the Authority is still holding Ksh16 million owed to contractors and suppliers for works dating back to 2013.
Speaking while appearing before the National Assembly Public Investments Committee on Social Services Administration and Agriculture, the Acting CEO defended the failure to pay the dues stating the reason why that has not been completed is because the Public Works Department had not furnished KEMSA with completion certificates.
The Acting CEO indicated that the works the various suppliers were contracted for had been completed .
He further claimed that the contractors and suppliers have also not claimed the dues.
As such, committee member and Kwanza MP Ferdianand Wanyonyi sought to establish why KEMSA had not declared the same to the Unclaimed Assets Authority or even made attempts to reach out to the contractors and suppliers to whom the money is owed by KEMSA for more than 5 years.
Maragua MP Mary Wamaua also sought to know whether the projects had been undertaken, and if KEMSA had made any efforts to find out about their status.
The MP further tasked the CEO to tell the Committee where the money had been deposited and if it was earning any interest.
Defending the agency, KEMSA Finance Manager Waiganjo Karanja assured the Committee that the funds have not been misappropriated maintaining that the contractors and suppliers will be paid in due course.
"Chair, the money is kept in KEMSA operations account. It earns interest that is usually declared, and it supplements running of our operations", Waiganjo added.
The Finance Manager promised that together with the Acting Chief Executive Officer, they would consider reaching out to the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority incase they fail to trace the contractors and suppliers to whom the money is owed.
Karanja further told the Committee that KEMSA has not reached out the Public Works Department to find out if the works had been completed.
"The Acting Chief Executive officer Dr. Mulwa further informed the Committee that KEMSA was experiencing challenges in terms of officers to follow up with the concerned contractors and suppliers", read a dispatch released by the committee.
Conclusively, the Acting CEO promised to take up the matter and ensure contractors and suppliers are paid in a timely manner.
