Kenya Medical Supplies Authority CEO Jonah Mwangi Suspended over Sh7.7 Billion Covid-19 Funds Scandal

Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) CEO Jonah Mwangi has been suspended over the alleged Sh7.7 billion Covid-19 funds scandal.

Mwangi was suspended by Kemsa Board on Friday alongside Charles Juma (Head of Procurement) and Eliud Mureithi (Commercial Director) to give room for investigations into allegations of procurement irregularities at the State agency.

The three will remain suspended until the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) completes a probe into the matter.

Initial investigations revealed that top Kemsa officials flouted procurement procedures in the award of the multi-billion-shilling tender for supply of Covid-19 equipment to a company named Kilig Limited.

The company was awarded the contract under the cover of emergency needs and was given three months to supply as opposed to one month. Further, companies with less than six months in operation won tenders without providing credible financial records.

These companies supplied the Covid-19 equipment at inflated prices. For example, Kemsa is said to have procured more than 1.8 million KN95 masks at a cost of Sh700 per piece, which is nearly double the Sh450 market price on the higher side.

Disposable three-ply surgical masks were allegedly procured at Sh90 per piece against the market price of Sh50 while personal protective equipment (PPE) was acquired at Sh9,000 per set as opposed to Sh4,500 on the market.