Kenya’s health ministry told to publish Covid-19 tenders

Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered the ministry of health to publish all procurements related to the government’s response to Covid-19.

The tenders to be published are those undertaken by state-run Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa).

The president’s order was in response to claims of inflated tenders and misappropriation of funds.

Lawmakers have already started their own investigations into the allegations.

Kemsa’s chief executive had last week told Senators that he had received instructions from Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe and Principal Secretary Susan Mochache on awarding of tenders.

The pair has denied any wrongdoing.

“The Ministry of Health, within the next 30 days, must come up with a transparent, open method and mechanism through which all tenders and procurement done by Kemsa are available online,” President Kenyatta ordered on Monday during a virtual Covid-19 conference with county governors.