Senators want action taken against officers at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority implicated in the Covid-19 millionaire's scandal.
The senators say despite the directive by President Uhuru Kenyatta that those involved be brought to book, nobody has been held accountable, adding that the current restructuring exercise at the authority is a cover-up attempt.
The Senate Health Committee on Monday held a meeting with officials from the Health Ministry led by the Ag. DG Patrick Amoth and the Kemsa board to discuss the reforms that are currently happening at the authority.
“We gave recommendations that administrative action be taken against certain officers there but those officers have been retained even up to now they are still in office, nothing has been done to them,” committee chair Michael Mbito said.
Kemsa on November 4 sent non-core staff home for 30 days to allow for vetting.
FINANCIAL CRISIS
Board chair Mary Mwadime said the agency had been found to be in a financial crisis with rising debt and supply chain problems.
The senators however say the current financial problems are interlinked to the Covid-19 scandal that hit the agency.
As a result, the cash-strapped Kemsa has been unable to supply orders to the counties.
“What was quite clear is that this exercise that this new board is carrying out is an attempt to cover up on the Covid-19 millionaires,” Narok Senator Ledama Olekina said.
“The whole mess was caused by the Covid-19 millionaires so all these other stories of a bloated workforce are really to try and cover up on the real issues and we told them we will not stand that.”
Kemsa admitted that they are suffering from a bloated workforce.
The agency which was having more than 900 workers against the required 383, has reaffirmed that it will follow the law in any action they have taken.
NYS, MILITARY INVOLVEMENT
During the 30 days, some operations will be managed by the National Youth Service and the military.
Mwadime said the workers would be appraised and those found fit rehired. Redundant and unnecessary positions will be eliminated.
Earlier, the Public Investments Committee of the National Assembly had recommended the investigation and possible prosecution of Kemsa board members and some of the authority’s senior staff over the alleged loss.
PIC also invited the anti-graft agency to investigate the top Kemsa management on how it processed payments to some suppliers as well as officers who allegedly have forged documents.
“We wanted to know the results where the DCI reports are, where the EACC report is, the President who is the boss of this country has given instructions and up to now we have no answers so this is a very sad affair,” Wajir senator Abdillahi Ali said.
Edited by D Tarus
