Uhuru disbands Kemsa board, appoints new 5-member team
President Uhuru Kenyatta has disbanded Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) board and appointed a new 5-member team.
In a Gazzette Notice issued on Wednesday and dated April 28, the President appointed Mary Chao Mwadime as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Kemsa for a period of three years.
Her appointment takes effect on April 30th.
This followed revocation of James Kembi Gitura as the chair of Kemsa board.
In the same Gazzette Notice, Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe appointed four new members of the Board of Directors of Kemsa.
The four include Retired Captain Lawrence Wahome, Robert Nyarango, Terry Kiunge Ramadhani and Linton Nyaga Kinyua.
Their appointments also takes effect from April 30th.
Kagwe revoked the appointment of Timothy Mwololo Waema, Bibiana Njue, Joel Onsare Gesuka and Dorothy Atieno as members of Kemsa's Board of Directors.
These changes come at the backdrop of a litany of corruption and negligence allegations pitting the body.
The recent accusation facing the body involves the alleged distribution of banned Antiretroviral drugs (ARVS) last week.
According to NEPHAK, the national empowerment network of people living with HIV/AIDS and other organizations, the released ARVs were phased out due to adverse side effects on patients.
The drugs released by Kemsa include nevirapine syrup for children and nevirapine tablets for adults.
Common side effects of nevirapine include abdominal pain, rash, fatigue, headache, vomiting, and muscle pain, among others.
Kemsa body also made headlines regarding the Kemsa scandal.
A report by the Senate last month incriminated the Kemsa board for failing to oversee the operations of the management in the procurement of Covid-19 items.
The Senate Health Committee demanded investigations of senior Kemsa officials for their role in the scandal that saw millions of funds lost.
