Covid-19 Billions: US, UK DemandAccountability from Kenya HealthCabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe
The US and UK representatives in Kenya have asked Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe to explain how Covid-19 billions have been spent.
In light of the alleged embezzlement of billions of shillings set aside to fight the pandemic, US Ambassador Kyle McCarter and UK High Commissioner Jane Marriott want CS Kagwe to take responsibility.
The US and the UK are some of the biggest donors to Kenya and have channelled millions of dollars to boost its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is alleged that individuals pocketed billions of shillings through supply of Covid-19 medical equipment to Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) at inflated prices.
For instance, Kemsa is said to have procured N95 (1860) masks at Sh1,300 each against the market price of Sh700 while Personal Protective Equipment was purchased at Sh9,000 per piece against the average market price of Sh4,500.
“I am a very big believer in the chain coming from the top and we have seen President Uhuru Kenyatta crackdown on corruption. Stealing money at the expense of the death of your fellow citizens is not acceptable. No system is perfect but what matters is how it is going to be fixed,” said Marriott in an interview with Citizen TV.
On his part, Ambassador McCarter said CS Kagwe, the Health Ministry and Kemsa must be accountable to taxpayers and donors.
“An emergency is no excuse for incompetence, not to be accountable to donors, taxpayers and people. It no excuse not to deliver to people who are in dire need. I do talk about it, in KEMSA, this has to be looked because this is not just the Sh800 billion thievery that takes place every year.”
“It is about the value of the Big 4 Agenda. If you get rid of politics you can achieve the Big 4. They are stealing Kenyan lives through the PPEs scandal and there needs to be a huge outrage on this scandal,” McCarter remarked on Citizen TV.
