Ruto fires Health PS Josephine Mburu, disbands Kemsa board

Josephine Mburu, the Principal Secretary for State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards, has been sacked in the latest changes in government.

In a statement on Monday, May 15, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei said President William Ruto had relieved Mburu of her duties following complaints of alleged impropriety within the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) regarding a flawed procurement process that left the country on the verge of losing a Ksh3.7 billion worth of anti-Malaria nets from the Global Fund.

Global Fund, a Switzerland-based organization that funds governments to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria, is said to have cancelled Kemsa’s procurement process which seemed flawed in favour of a bidder who did not meet mandatory requirements, at the expense of an actual mosquito nets manufacturer.

Koskei also noted that the Head of State had revoked the appointment of the chairperson and members of the board of directors of Kemsa over the scandal.

"The alleged maladministration on the part of KEMSA is with regard to the procurement of treated mosquito nets for those vulnerable households, which could have led to significant exposure to the disease and increase in its severity in the endemic regions," Koskei said.

The move, he said, is in line with the Kenya Kwanza administration's commitment to entrenching ethos of good governance within "our national life by promoting accountability and openness in the management of public affairs."

Consequently, President Ruto appointed Farmers party leader and former Housing Principal Secretary Irungu Nyakera as the new Kemsa board chair.

Following the disbandment of the Kemsa board, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha reconstituted the board on Monday.

The new members appointed to the board are Hezbon Oyieko Omollo, Bernard Kipkirui Bett, Dr Jane Masiga and Jane Nyagaturi Mbatia.

The agency's CEO Terry Ramadhani has also been suspended over the mosquito nets scandal. Dr Andrew Mutava Mulwa has been appointed to replace Ramadhani as CEO in an acting capacity.

CS Nakhumicha directed the new management to assure propriety of procurement processes within the agency.

"The Head of State and Government is committed to heralding a new era in the management of our nation's healthcare by ensuring that no Kenyan will be denied the dignity of affordable medical care due to corruption.

"Therefore, in keeping with the Administration's Health policy of 'leaving no one behind', the Administration will spare no effort in rebuilding the KEMSA supply chain management system so as to secure efficiency and accountability In the provision of medical supplies to alt health facilities across our nation," Koskei added.