The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) board has suspended the Procurement Director Gilbert Mamati and reshuffled 23 staff following an internal audit.
According to the board chairman Irungu Nyakera, the audit revealed irregularities in procurement in the authority.
Further, Nyakera stated that KEMSA had a debt amounting to Ksh3 billion, adding that he would implement more reforms at the authority.
The announcement came shortly after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua announced in December 2023, that the government had finally reorganized and streamlined operations at KEMSA.
Gachagua noted that KEMSA had increased its efficiency in distributing medical supplies to the nation’s healthcare facilities adding that in 2022, the government had c focused on addressing the parastatal’s inefficiencies and poor service delivery.
“We have streamlined the operations at KEMSA and as of today, medical supplies are available to the counties and no county can claim they have not received medical supplies from KEMSA,” he said.
Also Read: Gachagua: How Ruto’s Govt Cleared KEMSA Confusion
KEMSA on Firing Employees
Earlier, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei had announced that the government would be firing at least 200 workers on contract at KEMSA by July 2023 after a two-week audit ordered by the board.
“When we say that those who are in contract will not have their contracts renewed, it is because we want to optimize for the sake of having enough money to develop this country, or else every money will be in the pockets of our employees and nothing will move…so that is something that has been identified by the government,” he stated.
This followed numerous scandals at the authority including a Covid scandal that led to loss of billions, the mosquito net scandal that led to the sacking of health PS and suspension of former CEO Terry Ramadhani.
Also Read: Ex-Ps Josephine Mburu Distances Herself from the KEMSA Scandal
Ruto Acts After Scandal
Following the scandal, in May 2013, President William Ruto sacked then Health PS Josephine Mburu over irregularities in the procurement process handled by the Ministry of Heath that almost led to the loss of Ksh3.7 billion worth of anti-Malaria nets from the Global Fund.
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei also announced that Ruto had also revoked the appointments of the Chairperson and Members of the Board of Directors of KEMSA as it was responsible for the procurement process.
Consequently, Ruto appointed Irungu Nyakera as the Chairperson of the Board in accordance with the procedure set out under Section 5(1) (a) of the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority Act.
