The National Assembly Committee on Implementation has initiated the process to account for billions spent irregularly during the pandemic in 2020.
In a meeting with several stakeholders, the MPs directed the Medical Services Principal Secretary, Harry Kimutai, two weeks to establish a multi-agency team to investigate the irregular spending of Ksh7.8 billion.
Led by the Budalangi MP Raphael Wanjala, the committee revealed that the Ksh7.8 billion was spent irregularly by the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).
The MPs made the directive after the PS explained that he was not in office during the time in question. However, the committee emphasised that Kimutai should have resolved the matter from where his predecessors left off.
"We cannot continue taking blame because of efficiencies of public officers. We’re giving you two weeks to constitute the team, and to avail the report of that team before this Committee," Wanjala stated.
Wanjala emphasised that Kimutai's response was not satisfactory adding that it has been four years since the incident and nothing had been done.
He further told the PS that the shoddy way the team had handled the matter could attract punitive measures against him for non-cooperation.
In response, the PS asked the MPs to give him more time to address the matter. He revealed that he had taken quick action including dispatching correspondences to have recommended agencies to appoint nominees for the multiagency team.
Also in the meeting Twalib Mbarak, the CEO of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) informed the committee that the commission had adopted a phased approach to deal with the vast nature of the investigation.
He further explained that EACC had also investigated allegations of public officers who may have been involved in the irregular procurement and payments by KEMSA.
Mbarak however complained that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) was derailing the investigation by delaying to decide on the matter. He noted that the commission had concluded its work.
On this, the committee resolved to invite the DPP to clarify the matter noting that the back and forth between the two entities was slowing down the investigations.
