This archive report was first published on 21 June 2020.
June 21, 2020, marked a significant moment in Kenya's fight against Covid-19 when billionaire Jack Ma donated billions of shillings worth of aid, including 100,000 face masks and 20,000 testing kits. However, it has now emerged that the entire consignment was stolen from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, leaving Kenyans without the much-needed medical supplies.
The scandal has raised serious questions about the level of rot and impunity within the Health Ministry and the country's security systems. How could individuals easily clear goods meant for the government and get away without trace? Who are these individuals and their accomplices? What kind of security protocols do we have at the airport that allow such ease of theft?
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe had previously declared that his ministry was infested with lords of corruption, but it seems the cartels have refused to go and instead become more hardened. The entire scandal is puzzling, and we demand thorough investigations into this scam. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations must get on top of this, and the suspects must be hounded from their holes and made to face the consequences of their actions.
Kenya is faced with a monumental pandemic, and it is cruel when some heartless individuals plot and successfully steal medical items meant to help a country fight the pandemic. If they can steal medical provisions, what else can't they do? The scheme is extensive and roped in many individuals, including airport, security, and customs officials. Not only is this criminal but also sadistic.
