President William Ruto has appointed former Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera as the new Chairperson of the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority(KEMSA) board alongside four other members.
He replaces former Keiyo South MP Daniel Rono.
The changes come as part of a radical surgery that saw the agency’s CEO suspended alongside three staffers.
Ruto appointed FCPA Hezbon Omollo, Bernard Bett, Jane Masiga, and Jane Mbatia as board members.
According to the Public Service Head, Felix Koskei, the decision comes following complaints of alleged impropriety within the KEMSA in its management and administration of various medical programmes undertaken by Kenya in conjunction with its development partners.
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“THE COMPLAINTS FOLLOW the regular verification of expenditure by the Global Fund with regard to the National Malaria Programme that targets millions of low income Kenyan households within our nation’s malaria endemic regions,” Koskei said.
The agency is accused of mishandling a Kes3.7 billion tender to supply treated mosquito nets to help millions of low-income households prevent malaria.
The move will also deny the country earnings to the tune of Kes 600 million and put at risk over 10 million people expected to benefit from the nets.
The Global Fund, which was to finance the anti-malaria programme, cancelled the initiative citing flawed tendering.
KEMSA was accused of awarding the tender to a bidder who did not meet the mandatory requirements.
The Ministry of Health and the Global Fund had earlier clashed on the specifications of the nets to be delivered. This resulted in an amendment of the tender and the extension.
KEMSA’s public image was further impacted by an auditor-general’s report that showed the validity and accuracy of the agency’s inventory balance, including pharmaceutical and other stocks of Kes17.3 billion, could not be confirmed.
