Lawmakers threaten to disband KNH board over oxygen tender row

Members of Parliament have threatened to table a motion in the National Assembly to disband the Kenyatta National Hospital Board (KNH) for interfering with the process of setting up a new multi-million shilling oxygen plant at the facility.

The Departmental Committee on Health chaired by Endebess MP Robert Pukose, accused the National Health Insurance Fund Board, led by Sameer Muravej of halting the process, because of personal interests.

At a meeting with Medical Services Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai and KNH Board members, the committee accused Muravej of abusing his powers when he terminated the deal which had been awarded way before he took over office on grounds that the contractor was his former business partner.

Acknowledgment by Muravej did not sit well with the MPs, who kicked him out of the meeting for advancing personal interests on such a big project which would have been beneficial to Kenyans.

 “You should have declared your conflict of interests from the start. This committee can no longer take your submissions into account. I now want you to recuse yourself from this committee,” Pukose said.

Committee vice-chair and Chuka Igambang’ombe MP Patrick Munene reminded the two bodies that President William Ruto had warned State agencies and parastatals board not to overstep their mandates.

“Is there any conflict of interest in this board when it comes to KNH tenders because we are now seeing them interfering with the day-to-day operations of the management?” he posed.

Munene questioned the Board’s interests in the matter yet there have been other projects that have stalled, citing  the Centre for Development.  Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge sought to know whether the board is objective in any other matters owing to the fact that it has been interfering with functions of the management.

MPs’  threats came after Kimtai, who faulted the KNH Board for usurping their powers, told the members that he would be taking action against the Board for interfering with the management role.

He claimed any further delays in the implementation of the contract will attract extra cost given that the contractor had only been paid 67 per cent of the funds owed.

While the Board insisted that the contractor had not complied with specification and implementation of the tender, the management was of the view that all specifications were adhered to as required.

 “The Board made the decision because it emerged that the liquified oxygen was not supplied in accordance with the tender. Even the DCI was alerted to investigate the concerns,” Muravej said.

He defended himself, saying the KNH Board didn’t act out of malice but voted to have the matter investigated as they had issues with the entire tender.

But KNH chief executive Evanson Kamuri said the Board used the wrong parameters in investigating the tender implementation despite advice from the management technical operatives.