•The Health and Treasury ministries have been under pressure to account for the than Sh220 billion.
•National Assembly Health committee chaired by Muranga Woman Representative Sabina Chege is probing expenditure of Covid19 funds.
Image: EZEKIEL AMINGA
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has dismissed claims the ministry instructed the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency to award tenders to specific suppliers.
The CS on Monday said it was prudent to wait for the ongoing probe by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to draw a conclusion into what may have happened at the agency.
On the Covid-19 cash sent to the Health Ministry, Kagwe said the ministry’s books are open and they can account for all the cash donations received so far.
“I did not instruct anyone to award anyone a tender…I don’t know who is supposed to have sent instructions to Kemsa and identify individuals that are to be suppliers,” Kagwe said.
The CS appeared before the National Assembly Health committee chaired by Murang'a Woman Representative Sabina Chege over queries on the expenditure of Covid-19 funds.
Kagwe dismissed claims that the Covid-19 billions can’t be accounted for as built on “theories and innuendos that are just fiction.”
“Reports from media are not part of proceedings of this House. We are not going to rely on innuendo or newspaper reports but a report by investigative agencies.”
The ministry further dismissed claims it has spent Sh43 billion towards the emergency, saying it has only received Sh23 billion.
On the issues at Kemsa which saw CEO Jonah Manjari suspended, the CS said the activities which sparked the probe have been going on for a long time.
"I, therefore, can't comment on ongoing investigations."
Kagwe said the Health ministry has little say on what goes on at the agencies under its umbrella.
“The ministry does not micromanage institutions. It only comes in at policy level, and not micro level. The Kemsa probe will be carried out and in due course Kenyans will know the results.”
On claims of sleaze affecting donations by billionaire Jack Ma, the CS said he has heard of the stories but says a proper investigation would be more helpful.
“I have never seen investigation on the said supplies. All the same, we can account for every item we received from Jack Ma, World Health Organisation, World Bank, China and other donors,” the CS said.
On claims of inflated prices of emergency suppliers, the CS asked Kenyans to acknowledge that medical provisions were short in supply in March following the unusual demand then.
“At the original stages, it was difficult for us to work. Remember we did the first test in South Africa…it is good to be alive to the situation that was there in March when global supply chains were affected.”
The ministry holds that the donors - World Bank, World Health Organisation, and other lenders, have a clear system of audit to detect any irregularities.
Kagwe said the ministry sends money to Kemsa with specifications on what it is supposed to be spent on.
“We state what such an allocation has to do. A change of any vote – even changing money for reagents, will require Treasury to approve,” he explained.
On masks for health workers, the CS said the money is yet to be spent as the ministry is “torn between the need for accountability and the need to fast-track expenditure.”
He said it has taken long to expend the funds following the desire to spread the contract across the country and not just award the same to big firms.
“We want the money spent outside Nairobi as well. It also takes time for Kebs to approve the merchants whom we want to engage in making the masks,” Kagwe pointed out.
“I assure health workers that everything is being done to ensure masks are being made as fast as possible. The idea was to have them made in every county.”
The Health and Treasury ministries have been under pressure to account for the than Sh220 billion has so far been received from various sources.
The World Bank disbursed Sh108 billion for Covid-19 related interventions days before the International Monetary Fund added Sh78 billion.
The WB also sent Sh8.6 billion to the ministry for direct health interventions.
Some Sh22 billion was extended by the African Development Bank and Sh7.5 billion by the European Union.