This archive report was first published on 8 August 2020.
Published on August 8, 2020, a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak in Kenya, a friend sent a furious WhatsApp message to me: 'This country needs Jesus.' The message was a reflection of the widespread corruption and greed that had taken hold of the country's leadership.
However, it's worth noting that not all vendors were involved in corrupt activities. Many were doing honest business, importing essential medical supplies such as N95 masks, personal protective equipment (PPEs) kits, and ventilators to help combat the pandemic.
The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) has pre-approved vendors who ship in medical supplies on its behalf. However, in times of an unexpected emergency like COVID-19, others with capacity and cash upfront are allowed to import medical supplies. The quality of the supplies must meet Kemsa's specifications, and vendors who fail to meet these standards should not be paid.
Media reports detailed cases of overpriced tenders, with the Ministry of Health claiming that the prices were in line with international standards at the time of contracting. However, the high demand for medical supplies globally, coupled with limited supply, led to skyrocketing prices.
As the situation has improved, with more supply lines now open and some equipment being manufactured locally, prices have decreased. A facility in Kikuyu, Kiambu, is now making N95 masks.
Despite the progress made, there are still concerns about corruption and mismanagement of funds. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has opened an investigation into how Kemsa tendered for emergency procurement of PPEs, and Parliament is also looking into how the government has been spending billions donated by international donors to fight the pandemic.
The Senate has asked the Auditor-General to conduct a special audit on the government's COVID-19 expenditures, including possible misappropriation by county governments. The investigation into the Managed Equipment Services scheme, which was conceived as a partnership between county-run health units and private sector providers of healthcare equipment, is also ongoing.
Allegations of corruption and mismanagement of funds have been made against various government officials, including the Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, who admitted that 20,000 coronavirus test kits donated by Chinese businessman Jack Ma had been stolen on arrival.
