Kenya Medical Supplies Authority Chief Admits Changing Specifications for Botched Sh3.7B Mosquito Nets Tender
Andrew Mulwa, the acting chief executive of the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority. Has admitted that he altered the specifications for the botched Sh3.7 billion mosquito nets supply tender.
Dr. Mulwa told the Senate Health Committee yesterday that he was the director in charge of malaria. At the Ministry of Health at the time the specifications were changed.
The head of the Division of the National Malaria Programme, whose name he did not provide, expressed concern that the tender advertisement lacked PBO specifications, he said.
“I advised him to send me a memo regarding the matter. Dr. Josephine Mburu acted on his memo, which somehow did not reach my office, he told the committee.
And thus the tender was modified. PBO was not part of the original bid, so the Global Fund rejected the deal.
There were no PBO specifications in the initial tender advertised by Kemsa on January 31, 2023, as an international open tender with a bid deadline of February 23, 2023, which was later extended to March 10, 2023.
According to Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha, who also testified before the committee, the extension became effective upon receipt of a letter from Dr. Mburu, the then-chief secretary of the State Department of Public Health and Professional Standards.
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Timeline extension
Dr. Mburu is rumored to have ordered the inclusion of the PBO and the extension of the deadline to March 23, 2023.
The then-CEO of Kemsa, Terry Ramadhani, sought advice on the new specifications after receiving the communication.
Kemsa contacted the Global Fund via letter to solicit their approval. Later, the organization requested that Kemsa not modify the tender specifications and only acquire standard nets as advertised previously.
When there were no changes to the bid documents, the bid period ended.
Ms. Nakhumicha stated, “Since we were nearing the end of the bid period, the PS, Dr. Mburu, appointed members of the bid evaluation committee on March 8, 2023, and this marked the opening and evaluation of the bid.”
According to the proceedings of the committee, Dr. Mburu acted upon receiving a communication from the head of the Malaria Division and was directed by Dr. Mulwa to draft a memo to be acted upon.
Robert Pukose, chairman of the Health committee, asked, “Are you stating that your office provided the principal secretary’s recommendation to request the amendment of the bid?”
“Were you the one who issued the memo’s directive? And you examined the advertisement and discovered that the PBO was missing?
“What the committee is learning is that Dr. Mulwa’s office drafted and signed the technical advice to the PS to make amendments. His efforts to deceive the committee won’t go unnoticed. “This is unacceptable,” Dr. Pukose stated.
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Dr. Mulwa responded, “Yes, I asked him to write a memo if he believed the PBO was missing.” At the program level, there was no communication between Kemsa, the Global Fund, and the National Treasury, so we did not know what specifications they had agreed upon.”
Three choices
In terms of insecticides, they suggested PBO or pyrethrins, but the Global Fund opted for pyrethrins, he said.
“At that time, the head of the program did not know what they had decided because there was no communication regarding this,” Dr. Mulwa explained.
“Had it passed through your office, would you have forwarded the same communication to the PS?” Dr. Pukose asked.
Dr. Mulwa stated, “I would have consulted the National Treasury before providing the document to the PS.”
Dr. Mulwa, according to Nyeri Town representative Duncan Mathenge, was responsible for the botched bid.
“Because of your recommendation, the Global Fund withdrew its bid. You were the one who suggested writing the memo. You caused the government to lose the contract, and now, Dr. Mulwa, you are the CEO of the organization responsible for the storage and distribution of the nets,” Mr. Mathenge stated.
He continued, “You altered the specifications, and you are the leader of the same organization. Do you not believe that this represents a conflict of interest and that you lack the moral authority to lead Kemsa?”
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Martin Owino, a member of the Ndhiwa Parliament, remarked, “When we listen to the narrations, it is very unfortunate… we changed this to benefit others.” Not only did we lose the bid, but we also lost our national honor. We will lose lives if we are not vigilant.”
Dr. Oron Joshua Odongo, the representative for Kisumu Central, stated that it is unfortunate that Dr. Mulwa leads Kemsa.
“We are here because his actions led to the country’s current scandal,” he explained.
Patrick Munene, the vice-chairman of the committee, admonished Dr. Mulwa not to deceive the MPs by claiming that the acting CEO forwarded the specifications and signed each page of the document.
“As a director, you sought out the requirements. Don’t lie to us,” Mr Munene said.
In defending Dr. Mulwa, the CS informed the committee that the acting CEO was only willing to respond to questions about Kemsa. The CS stated, “He prepared his response as the CEO of Kemsa; therefore, I request that he be given time to prepare for questions regarding his previous role as director.”
Rejecting the request. Dr. Oron stated, “You cannot claim that he has forgotten everything he did as a director.”
Dr. Mburu was the first victim of the scandal, followed by former Kemsa CEO Ramadhani and the entire Kemsa board of directors.
Martin Wanyonyi Pepele, a member of parliament for Webuye East, stated, “The people who are being lauded for their work and advancement are the same people who are the cartels and the creators of these tenders at the Ministry of Health.”
Kenya Medical Supplies Authority Chief Admits Changing Specifications for Botched Sh3.7B Mosquito Nets Tender
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