Azimio hails President Ruto over KEMSA and KEBS saga
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Azimio leaders hail President Ruto on war against corruption over his move on KEMSA and KEBS scandal
Azimio leaders hail President Ruto on war against corruption over his move on KEMSA and KEBS scandal.
Azimio leaders from the Western region have urged President William Ruto to intensify the purge of suspected corrupt officials in government and ensure that those implicated in the graft are prosecuted.
The investigations into the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa), according to Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa, his deputy Ayub Savula, and Kisumu Deputy Governor Mathew Owili, were a step in the right direction.
The decision by President Ruto to dissolve the Kemsa board, suspend its CEO Terry Ramadhani, and suspend its Principal Secretary for Public Health Josphine Mburu sent a clear message about how he intended to combat corruption in his administration, according to the leaders who spoke in Kakamega on Friday.
The move came after details were released on the bungled Sh3.7 billion tender for the supply of treated mosquito nets intended to help millions of low-come households to prevent malaria.
The scandal has also cost the State corporation at least Sh370 million in revenue.
Governor Barasa, Mr. Savula, and Mr. Owili called on Dr. Ruto to extend the crackdown to other government departments.
Mr. Barasa said the move by the President was commendable and should be supported by all leaders irrespective of party affiliations.
The county chief called for the amendment of the law to provide for the procurement of drugs by counties which then will be delivered to Kemsa for warehousing and distribution to health facilities.
“This is the only way to deal with the deep-rooted corruption at Kemsa. Some unscrupulous members of staff at Kemsa are starving counties of drugs because of corruption,” said Mr. Barasa.
He said corruption was thriving in the country because when those implicated are often set free by courts citing lack of enough evidence.
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“President Ruto needs to be supported to fight graft. Let the courts help the President because they have remained behind in the war against corruption. It is demoralizing when people who are implicated in scandals walk from the dock a few days after they are arraigned,” said Mr. Savula.
The leaders said President Ruto had shown he was determined to deal firmly with corruption after he suspend 27 officials linked to the disappearance of 20,000 (50kg) bags of suspected contaminated sugar imported in 2018 but which was flagged by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) for being unfit for human consumption.
Mr Owili said: “We support the purge that we saw in Kemsa and we support Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha for her stance. We urge the President to remain firm in the fight against corruption.”
The Ministry of Health report indicates that 70 percent of the population is at constant risk from malaria, especially children under the age of five and pregnant women.
The report further indicates that 10,700 Kenyans die from malaria each year and those living in Western Kenya have a higher risk of malaria infection.
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