Is Kagwe’s fight against Afya House Cartels starting to bear fruits?

By Mourice Seretta

The cartels at Afya House may be gnashing their teeth as the fight to get them out intensifies.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe as over and again said Afya House that is the Headquarters of the Ministry of Health is ridden with numerous cartels who he says he is hell bent on getting rid of.

Members of the public and also Members of the National Assembly have also been calling on CS Kagwe to act and wipe out cartels from the ministry arguing that Covid-19 funds from donors have been embezzled under his watch. But he has been candid that every coin will be accounted for, remarks that many have not been taking lightly with many believing that billions meant for the fight against Covid-19 under his care have been misused.

Narc Kenya Party Leader Martha Karua did not mince her words when she spoke about the matter. She demanded full accountability for Covid-19 funds in Kenya, even as she called for resources meant for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) to be diverted towards the fight against the virus.

Karua said the government owed it to the people of Kenya to show, in great detail, where the funds received from donors or as loans were used to fight the pandemic.

The calls even they have start to come to fruition have seen the first casualty suspended.

This is after the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority, KEMSA, CEO Dr. Jonah Mwangi was suspended following allegations that the authority flouted procurement regulations putting at risk Ksh.100 billion of donor funds meant for battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Mwangi had been suspended together with Charles Juma, Head of Procurement, and Eliud Mureithi, Commercial Director, to allow the Ethics and Anti-Corruption, EACC complete investigations into the matter.
KEMSA board Chairman Kembi Gitura

It is said that EACC conducted investigations and found out that KEMSA that KEMSA officials flouted procurement procedures by direct sourcing and awarding a Ksh.7.7 billion tender to a company known as Kilig Limited under the cover of emergency needs, despite the fact that they were given three months to supply as opposed to one month and that other companies with less than six months in operation received tenders without credible financial records being presented, leading to the authority losing money.

It will be a matter of time to see whether Kagwe will eventually demolish cartels he says are in his Ministry.