{"id":13743,"date":"2020-09-02T17:34:04","date_gmt":"2020-09-02T17:34:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.com\/kenya\/?p=13743"},"modified":"2020-09-02T17:34:04","modified_gmt":"2020-09-02T17:34:04","slug":"covid-19-funds-kagwe-leaves-blame-squarely-on-kemsa-doorstep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/kenya\/community\/covid-19-funds-kagwe-leaves-blame-squarely-on-kemsa-doorstep","title":{"rendered":"Covid-19 funds: Kagwe leaves blame squarely on Kemsa doorstep"},"content":{"rendered":"

Author: Japheth Ogila<\/strong>
\nAfricaPress-Kenya:<\/strong> Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has distanced himself from the blame on the mess at the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa) currently under probe for misappropriation of Covid-19 funds.<\/p>\n

Speaking to the National Assembly Health Committee chaired by Murang\u2019a Woman Representative Sabina Chege; Kagwe conceded having instructed Kemsa CEO Jonah Manjari on the use of funds. But the CS said he did not tailor-make procurement processes for Mr Manjari to follow, adding that he acted within his authority as the CS.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my job to put people under pressure so that they can produce the results we are looking for. It\u2019s not my job to advise anybody against anything they are not supposed to do, and in the event that I told a CEO to do something that is against the law or something they are not comfortable with, he should have said give me that in writing,\u201d he told the committee.<\/p>\n

The CS and his Permanent Secretary Susan Mochache have been under the spotlight after Mr Manjari blamed them for pressurising the agency and issuing orders on how to procure the Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).<\/p>\n

In specific, Manjari said Mochache instructed him to procure Abbott real-time Sars-COV-2 test kits at a cost of Sh365.9 million on May 11, 2020. He showed the committee another letter dated May 4, 2020, in which the PS had directed him on the procurement and distribution of PCR tests and extraction kits and transport media for Covid-19 at a cost of Sh88.9 million.<\/p>\n

But in response,\u00a0CS Kagwe\u00a0said if Kemsa boss flouted the procurement rules and regulations, then, he may have done so willingly but not under duress as he claimed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you go wrong you don\u2019t go wrong because the CS told you to go wrong, you go wrong because you are a poor manager and you don\u2019t know how to manage and use the laws on procurement,” said Kagwe.<\/p>\n

The CS refuted claims that PPEs and testing kits donated by Chinese businessman Jack Ma were sold in Tanzania. Kagwe rubbished the claims saying there was no way they could have been sold in a country declared Covid-19 free.<\/p>\n