Following revelations by the Nation Media Group exposing firms that have been diverting donor funds and medical supplies meant for the fight of Covid-19, Kenyans from all walks of life shared their opinion on the matter.
Actually, the fight against covid-19 has been lost and it is largely due to the good-old sin of tenderpreneurship. An evil brand of capitalism, not that capitalism is great, that has permeated the Kenyan economic construct.
Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) under Dr Jonah Manjari is under investigations on how it awarded over Sh7 billion to newly-formed firms, some non-existent, that cannot undertake to deliver the huge amounts of contract they were given.
Kilig is one such firms owned by ‘a vocal Jubilee politician’, with a front face by the name Ivy Minyow Onyango.
The firm was awarded a Sh4 billion tender to supply Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) including body suits, and facemasks. Never mind, the firm was formed and registered in January 2020.
It is questionable, how KEMSA could give a contract of such magnitude to a firm with no prior experience.
Manjari has faced corruption allegations some bordering on staffing issues, mismanagement of funds and procurement malpractices. In 2019, staff at KEMSA were not happy with the management of the institution and information about mismanagement and corruption started leaking to the media. Online sources carried the massive looting by Mr Manjari who was emboldened by his close relationship to the former Cabinet Secretary for health Sicily Kariuki.
Others firms that benefited in the ilegaloty at KEMSA include; Shop ‘N’ Buy Limited (Sh970 million), Wanderjoy Party World Limited (millions in tea and snacks), Abyssinia Group of Industries (AGI) – a non existent firm according to the company registry received Sh27 million, Bell Industries (Sh185 million), Medlife Biologicals Limited (Sh230 million), Nanopay Limited (Sh35 million), Light Up Africa Limited (sh25 million), Ziwala Limited (Sh85 million), Wallabis Ventures Limited (Sh90 million).
It is particularly disheartening that most of these firms are owned by people closer to the center of power. Closer to the Presidency.
As Kenyans are told to stay at home, lose their jobs in the process, top officials in govt are enriching themselves instead of rolling out mas testing, good policy on the return to work formula and in the process they are cheered on by the UK and US diplomats who keep on shouting about Tourism.
It is appalling.
READ OUR PREDICTIVE PIECE BELOW
Kenyan Business Feed is the top Kenyan Business Blog. We share news from Kenya and across the region. To contact us with any alert, please email us to [email protected]