• Health CS said the correct thing to do when someone asks you to break the law in government is to ask for the orders in writing.
• Kemsa CEO had claimed that he influenced procurement of PPE on the orders of CS, PS and other ministry officials.
Image: /EZEKIEL AMINGA
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe on Wednesday dismissed claims by suspended Kemsa boss Jonah Manjari that he directed the agency towards firms to give multi-billion Covid-19 tenders.
Kagwe told MPs he did not play any role to influence who gets tenders and that he has no interest in any of the over 60 companies trading with Kenya Medical Supplies Agency.
Manjari last week told senators that Kagwe and PS Susan Mochache made direct contact with him to influence the procurement of the items.
He told the Senate Health committee and ad hoc Committee on Covid-19 that he received calls, text messages and emails from the top ministry officials exerting pressure on him to procure the items.
“We got various requests from the CS, PS and a member of the Covid-19 Emergency Response Board. The requests were in the form of phone calls, text messages and even emails,” the CEO said.
But Mutahi said only "a poor manager" would agree to break the law because he has been directed by a higher authority.
Kagwe told Parliament's Health committee that his engagement with the ministry's CEOs including Kemsa was purely consultative and had nothing with directing who should be considered for plum tenders.
"In the event that I told a CEO to do something that is against the law, the normal thing to do in government is to ask for the orders in writing," Kagwe said.
“It is my job to put people under pressure so we can deliver results… It is not my job to tell people to commit a crime.”
Kagwe, however, admitted that he issued direct policy on local production of PPE. He has never micromanaged anyone in any of the agencies falling under his ministry, he said.
"I did not influence any procurement process; I have no interest in any company that is dealing with PPE. In fact, I have been so caught up with the management of the Covid-19 pandemic that I have never been to Kemsa as some publications have alluded,” he said.
He further refuted claims of money loss at Kemsa terming them as unfounded.
“There is no loss at Kemsa in terms of purchases of commodities. What we have lost is only operational cost due to the drop in prices of commodities,” he stated.
Kagwe said he is the one who invited the DCI to probe the agency and ministry after a number of donors raised issues with the management of the funds.
The CS who was accompanied by PS Mochache vowed that the ministry is determined to clear every issue in doubt regarding the ongoing probe.
“We have no intention of protecting anybody; we have no intention of hiding anything. I will do my best to clarify any issues,” Kagwe said.
The committee chaired by the Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege was meeting CS Kagwe and Transport ministry regarding Jack Ma Foundation Covid-19 supplies donation and utilisation of the coronavirus funds.
The committee had earlier sent away top Transport ministry officials, saying the team was unprepared to respond to its questions.
They were represented by CAS Chris Obure during the afternoon session.
He appeared before the committee to explain the ministry's role in the clearing of Jack Ma Foundation donations.
"The document before us from the ministry is not well-prepared. We need to compare what was donated, what was received, and what actually ended up in the warehouse," Chege said.
Edited by R.Wamochie