Senator Maina Says Opposition Should Commend Ruto for Acting on KEMSA

Nominated Senator Veronica Maina has said the opposition team should applaud President William Ruto for taking a step to fix Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).

Senator Maina noted that the move by the president is a swift measure to combat what could have been a multi-billion procurement scandal at the KEMSA.

This remark by the senator comes after the head of state on Monday, May 15 revoked KEMSA board appointments amid investigations into allegations of corruption and mismanagement of medical supplies at the agency.

The dismissal of the KEMSA board saw the CEO suspended alongside three staffers.

Nonetheless, a section of opposition leaders downplayed the move.

The National Assembly Deputy Minority Leader Robert Mbui stated that he is glad the scandal was unfolding during President Ruto’s administration, because the Kenya Kwanza administration had allegedly been pointing fingers at the former Jubilee administration over a similar procurement scandal during the Covid-19 pandemic.

While speaking during an interview with Citizen TV on Tuesday, May 16, Mbui said that although he is not happy about corruption in state agencies, he is glad because the KEMSA case may make Kenya Kwanza politicians stop what he called blame games.

“I thank God this has happened so that the Kenya Kwanza regime can stop continuously blasting the former president on issues KEMSA because it has happened now under their watch,” he said.

Also Read: President Ruto Vows to Clean Up Kemsa at All Costs

Senator Maina in a quick rejoinder, dismissed Mbui’s comments claiming that President Ruto’s administration needs to be commended for responding swiftly to counter the impending scandal.

She explained that Kenya Kwanza handled the situation better than retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime, during which Kenya lost Ksh.2.3 billion in a COVID-19 kits procurement scandal.

“If you look at the approach taken by the Kenya Kwanza administration compared to the previous regime, it’s like day and night. This whole procurement process has been stopped not at the point where Kenyans have lost money… it is making sure that you pre-empt that loss,” Maina said.