- Governors and Senators have criticised a decision to send home more than 900 workers at the troubled Kenya Medical Supplies Authority.
- They said that it was unfortunate that the junior employees were being sacrificed when the big fish are walking freely.
Image: MAGDALINE SAYA
Governors and senators have criticised a decision to send home more than 900 workers at the troubled Kenya Medical Supplies Authority.
They have termed the move as a cover-up of powerful individuals at the agency who were implicated in recent Covid-19 scandal from being investigated and prosecuted.
They said it was unfortunate that the junior employees were being sacrificed when the big fish are walking freely.
“It is a cover-up and we must call it what it is,” Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jr said.
“The 900 officers at Kemsa did not procure the personal protective equipment. The officers did not cause the scandal that we are aware of,” he added.
Last week, Kemsa board chairperson Mary Mwadime ordered the lot to work from home as KDF and NYS personnel took charge at the agency.
“Ordinary Kenyans are being jailed left, right and centre for stealing, but when it comes to powerful people you send people packing and you bring in the NYS,” Mutula said.
On the other hand, governors, through their umbrella body, the Council of Governors, have pushed for wholesome reforms to streamline operations at Kemsa.
They want the agency restructured and realigned to devolution and enhance accountability.
“As the CoG, we believe that urgent structural and institutional reforms are needed at Kemsa to ensure the institution effectively serves counties in the procurement and supply of pharmaceutical and non- pharmaceutical products. This will help to improve availability and affordability of health commodities, and ultimately enhance health outcomes,” CoG chairman Martin Wambora said.
“In view of the heavy usage of Kemsa by the governors, the institution should be conceptualised, established and structured as a joint entity of both National and County governments, which has to be answerable and accountable to both levels of government,” Wambora, who doubles as Embu governor said.
He said the CoG has gone beyond just talk by proposing comprehensive amendments to the Kemsa Act, which should be considered in the overall reform of the institution.
“The council also calls upon the relevant institutions tasked with the responsibility of safeguarding public resources against plunder and misuse, to investigate and bring to book all those who will be found culpable of mismanaging Kemsa,” the governor said.
Nandi senator Samson Cherargei termed as serious and endemic the troubles facing Kemsa.
“You have heard my brother Mutula mention that the former chairperson and the board were implicated. What did the government do?” he posed.
He went on, “How do you transfer corruption from Kemsa to CAK? Now CAK will also face corruption issues. You are not ready to fire the board that was implicated, but you are instead transferring the chairperson and rewarding him.”
“It looks like corruption nowadays is a rewarding competition. The more corrupt you are the more rewards you will be given. The more honest you are, protecting your job and following rules and regulations that have been provided by the labour laws, then you are punished by the government.”
The Nandi lawmaker said since President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the masterminds of Covid-19 millionaires heist to be prosecuted, not one person has been prosecuted.
“The only thing we are seeing are these junior 900 staff who do not have a voice, being laid off. We want to challenge the President, you told the country that the Kemsa report would be ready within 21 days, and that people would be prosecuted. What is happening?” he asked.
-Edited by SKanyara