Ksh.7.8B KEMSA Tender and Ruto’s Vaccine Decision Haunt Mutahi Kagwe During CS Vetting
Mutahi Kagwe, the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary nominee, has taken responsibility for the issues that arose during his time as Health CS, particularly in the fight against COVID-19.
During his vetting by the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments, MPs revisited the controversy surrounding the COVID millionaires scandal. This scandal involved the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) mishandling a Ksh.7.8 billion tender for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Reports suggested that the tender was awarded to individuals with strong political ties.
In response, Kagwe stated that he battled corrupt cartels within the Health Ministry, reorganized KEMSA by changing its staff, and invited law enforcement to investigate the situation. “I take responsibility for all the issues that occurred during the COVID fight,” Kagwe said.
Despite the challenges, Kagwe highlighted achievements such as reducing PPE costs, noting that when Kenya started producing its own PPE, the cost dropped significantly.
Kagwe also promised to utilize social media to combat misinformation and continue working with the media to ensure the public receives accurate information.
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Ruto Vaccine
Agriculture CS nominee Mutahi Kagwe faced tough questions about the government’s decision to ban the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, which had been administered to President William Ruto in 2020.
During his vetting, MPs questioned whether the ban was politically motivated, especially given the timing of the decision. Imenti MP Abdul Rahim and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed raised concerns, with Junet asking whether the ban was linked to tensions between former President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ruto.
Kagwe clarified that the decision was based on the fact that the Sputnik V vaccine had not been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). He stressed that no vaccine was allowed into Kenya without WHO approval, and the decision was purely based on safety standards.
Ksh.7.8B KEMSA Tender and Ruto’s Vaccine Decision Haunt Mutahi Kagwe During CS Vetting
