This archive report was first published on 19 June 2020.
Published on June 19, 2020, the Ministry of Health was grappling with the spread of Covid-19 in Kenya, which had already infected 4,374 people.
Two separate theft reports relating to donated Covid-19 equipment in March have been confirmed by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
The first consignment was donated by Alibaba founder Jack Ma, who had made a similar philanthropic gesture in other African countries.
Mr Ma's care package had 100,000 face masks and 20,000 testing kits, which arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on March 24.
However, the huge consignment of test kits has disappeared, leaving the government with over 5,000 samples that are yet to be tested due to the global shortage of testing materials.
Health Director-General Patrick Amoth acknowledged that the country has been experiencing a shortage of test kits, but said the ministry had received a batch that would last the country four weeks.
Healthcare workers have been complaining that they do not have enough personal protective equipment, a situation that is putting their lives at risk.
Director of Investigations John Kariuki confirmed that a team of detectives from the DCI's JKIA office are looking into the cases, but officials remain tight-lipped about how much progress has been made.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe publicly acknowledged that thieves had found their way to Mr Ma's consignment, sparking rumors of an inside job by well-connected people.
Meanwhile, two Covid-19 cases have been confirmed in Kericho County, bringing the total number of positive cases in the county to three.
