The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) has appointed John Kabuchi as the new Acting Chief Executive Officer with effect from Tuesday (December 28).
Kabuchi who has been the procurement manager for donor-funded programmes at the authority takes over from Edward Njoroge who has also been holding the position in an acting capacity.
Kabuchi is also the chairman of the Covid-19 vaccines procurement and logistics committee.
In an internal memo to all Kemsa staff, the director of human resources and administration Ebla Mohamed said the decision was arrived at by the board of directors during a meeting held on December 20.
“Kabuchi takes over from Edward Njoroge whose acting ceases with immediate effect as he resumes his previous role as director, operations,” the memo reads in part.
He will be acting until the authority gets a substantive CEO.
The authority has been undergoing a series of radical changes after being marred by procurement scandals that saw the entire staff sent home in early November and their positions declared redundant.
“The Board confirms necessary interventions have been put in place to avoid disruptions of service delivery. The review will be undertaken to ensure staff complement fits the purpose,” Kemsa board chair Mary Mwadime said in a notice.
Mwadime said the reforms are to align the organisation to industry standards and enable the realisation of the Universal Health Care agenda.
The chairperson said the agency was underperforming and unable to meet its mandates such as the delivery of essential medicines and products to counties and referral hospitals.
The board said the authority underwent intense scrutiny owing to concerns of misappropriation of billions of shillings, including donor aid.
Kemsa was plagued by a Sh7.8 billion scandal involving the purchase of items for use in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
A task force formed to assess the agency recommended organisational restructuring at the authority.
The team said this was in order to strengthen the capacity of the agency to deliver services.
-Edited by Bosco Marita
