The probe into the Ksh7.6 Billion scandal at the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (KEMSA) took an unexpected turn when suspended officials alleged that their lives and that of their former CEO were in danger if the deals did not go through.
Appearing before the parliamentary Public Investments Committee (PIC) on Tuesday, December 1, suspended procurement boss Charles Jumaand Commercial director Eliud Muriithi claimed that their then CEO Jonah Manjari told them to proceed with the tenders.
This directive, they claimed, was given after a meeting with powerful people in government which inflated the cost of purchasing the PPEs from Ksh4.5 Billion to Ksh7.6 Billion.
Suspended Kemsa CEO Jonah Manjari when he appeared before the Public Investment Committee on November 18, 2020.
Juma told MPs that the CEO was more involved in the procurement than his office as he awarded tenders to choice companies.
“The CEO at one time informed me he was under so much pressure. Every time I told him that we had overshot the budget and we ought to stop further purchases, he told me ‘Mr Juma you don’t know what I am going through and what I am dealing with’,” he disclosed.
The suspended procurement officer further alleged that the CEO approached him to write commitment letters and backdate them in favor of the companies that had been pre-selected.
“Manjari would tell me, ‘I am the accounting officer and I am the one who will sign these letters, you don’t know who I am dealing with as these people have the powers to make you disappear’. I felt this was a threat to my life.
“I had no control over the whole procurement of Covid-19. If I did, we would not have been where we are now. To date, I still feel threatened because there are a number of commitment letters that I never agreed to sign,” Juma added.
The whole handling of the procurement has now left Kemsa with over Ksh6 billion worth of stock and with over Ksh3 billion in debt.
Health Principal Secretary Susan Mochache had earlier accused Manjari and the management of ordering items worth Ksh4 billion within three weeks against a budget of Ksh758 million that had been approved by the ministry.
Speaking on December 1, acting CEO Edward Njoroge stated that they could not offload the supplies in the stores until the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) gives clearance.
“EACC said we should not touch the equipment unless they have given us a go-ahead. There is nothing we can do,” Njoroge stated.
Kenya Medical Supplies Authority acting CEO Edward Njoroge.
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