The Ministry of Health was on Tuesday, April 28, put on the spot during virtual meeting with the National Assembly which asked the ministry to share details of how a KSh1 billion donation from the World Bank to fight COVID-19 had been spent.
A document highlighting how the money was spent caused outrage online with unreasonable amounts used in acquiring cheap services, among them being KSh 4 million which was used for “tea and snacks for varied teams”.
Others include KSh 9 million used in printing travellers’ forms, quarantine forms and discharge, KSh 6.5million to acquire printing paper and toners, KSh4 million for airtime and KSh 42 million for leasing ambulances.
After four days of missing in his daily briefings CS Kagwe has finally addressed the issue via his Facebook page terming them as pure lies and propaganda.
The CS said:
“I have debated posting tonight (Friday) but am doing so because I read your comments and appreciate your sentiments and fears.
As a Kenyan, I too have been disappointed by leaders who fail us for reasons that span inefficiency to corruption.
The allegations you are seeing are based on this trend: public skepticism and pessimism. I get it.
And so I am here to let you know that among us is a cohort that believes in exploitation and that thinks that by spreading lies, innuendo and propaganda, I will be intimidated and worse, lose the trust of you – – the Kenyan – – who believes in our cause and my integrity.
They want us sidetracked. I am no greenhorn; I have seen such mischief before, wasn’t intimated then and will not be intimidated now. Watch my actions, they will illustrate this.
The job at hand is simple: save lives in the most cost efficient way and accomplish this in collaboration with the people this position devotes me to: YOU.
So, in pointing out the fakeness of the financial analyses making the circuit, I am sure that you will agree with me this is not the appropriate forum for me to delve into detailed accounting, balance sheets et all.
But that is coming.
You need transparency and will get it in a manner detailed enough for your critical analyses.
Suffice it to say, there will be no theft of COVID-19 resources under my watch and if there is any truth regarding the misuse of COVID-19 funds, beyond being disheartened, I guarantee you that those responsible will be out of the ministry faster than we can blink.
Propaganda or not, we, WILL sanitize the healthcare system…so God help us.”
