Susan Nakhumicha, Cabinet Secretary for Health, has warned that the ongoing campaign against corruption in her ministry will not spare any government employees involved in fraud scandals.
Speaking at the launch of EACC's report on Corruption and Unethical Conduct in Kenyan Healthcare Projects in Nairobi on Wednesday, CS Nakhumicha revealed that her initial attempts to have EACC investigate malpractices at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) were met with resistance from some high-ranking officials within her ministry.
EACC is now looking into discrepancies in awarding a tender for anti-mosquito nets at KEMSA.
Following disclosing the alleged procurement scandal, President William Ruto fired Dr Josephine Mburu as the PS for Public Health and Professional Standards.
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Ruto also removed the Chairperson and members of the Board of Directors of KEMSA, which was responsible for the botched procurement procedure.
Terry Ramadhani, CEO of KEMSA, and eight other MoH officials have also been suspended.
Nakhumicha added that Last Thursday, immediately following the release of that report, she wrote a letter to EACC requesting that they come and investigate. When she called EACC CEO Twalib Mbarak on Monday to ask if he had received her letter, he said he hadn't
"This is how corruption is combated in this country." Although EACC is only a few meters from my office, the letter has yet to arrive by Monday. Fortunately, Mbarak informed me that he has since dispatched his police to investigate the scandal." she added.
Nakhumicha said that some senior government officials seek to steal money meant for sick Kenyans and that she will not tolerate such behaviour.
"People in this country are hell-bent on enriching themselves off patients' money." This is exceptionally dishonourable. It's a disgrace, and I won't let it happen."
EACC Chairperson David Oginde, on his part, stated that the anti-graft watchdog is now investigating the KEMSA scandal.
He said that they have an entire investigation team looking into the scandal. They'll look into what happened at KEMSA and who was involved.
