I Was Wrongfully Sacked- Former PS On Involvement In Ksh3.7B KEMSA Scandal

Former Health Principal Secretary Josephine Mburu on Tuesday, June 6 absolved herself of links to the Ksh3.7 billion Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) scandal that culminated in her dismissal by President William Ruto.

Appearing before the Senate Health Committee, Mburu clarified that her docket was not tasked with overseeing operations of the medical agency tasked with procuring medical equipment and that her former colleague Peter Tum - who was moved to the Ministry of Sports, was the one in charge.

She thus clarified that KEMSA was under the Department of Medical Services, and thus had no power to influence KEMSA's tendering process. In addition, she noted that she was not in office when the process commenced.

Former Health PS Josephine Mburu. /FILE

“KEMSA is under medical services, even the regulatory body was under Tum by then. I have no control over whatever happens in KEMSA.

“I was not involved in the process because it had already started before me. I believe the staff advised me to the best of their ability unless otherwise but I was not involved,” Mburu stated.

With regards to the letter which changed specifications for the mosquito nets, the PS further noted that the letter was merely advisory to the agency and was authored based on documentation already prepared by the Ministries of Treasury and Health. 

“When the advert was put in the public domain is when the head of the malaria program realized there was an omission and came to me. I did not know there was an advert because KEMSA is a different entity.

"The letter did not stall the process. As a PS, I only gave advice based on the previous specifications shared by Malaria Programme in 2016," she stated.

She further noted that she was unaware whether funds were lost, indicating that the Treasury was best placed to elaborate on the misappropriation.

Her sentiments come despite Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha, on Monday, May 15 revealing that she played a huge part in Mburu's termination.

Speaking hours after Mburu's firing, the CS noted that she had performed her role as the principal advisor of the President in the Ministry of Health as the Head of State himself was looking hard for a solution regarding the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) scandal on mosquito nets.

She added that the decision to terminate the PS was done after thorough consultations with the Head of State and that Ruto's demand for accountability had informed Mburu's sacking, whether the PS was involved in the matter which was yet to be established.

Nakhumicha had appeared to point an accusing finger at Mburu after revealing that her mandate was being the accounting officer for the ministry and was expected to have actively participated in the KEMSA tendering processes.

"I have been involved in the decision that has been made today. To the best of my knowledge, I have advised the President as his principal advisor.

"Specifically, I would not tell whether she was involved or not. Principal Secretaries are the accounting officers of the ministry. It is expected that in their day-to-day, they will interact with the institutions when it comes to such matters," she stated.

Her sentiments were a clarification of Ruto's decision to fire the PS, which raised questions with some Kenyans dragging Tum into the saga. Tum is yet to account for his involvement in the mosquito net tender.

Mburu's exit from the Ministry came after just 163 days in office and was followed by the suspension of KEMSA CEO, Terry Ramadhani and a wave of changes at the KEMSA board.

The Global Fund, the donor behind the malaria programme, was forced to cancel a Ksh3.7 billion mosquito nets tender owing to KEMSA's irregular procurement process, whereby it raised concerns regarding the last-minute changes in the specification of the nets tendered by KEMSA.

KEMSA premises in Nairobi. /FILE