Murathe denies involvement in KEMSA scandal – KBC

Jubilee Vice Chairman David Murathe has denied any involvement in the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency-KEMSA scandal.

Appearing before the National Assembly’s Public Investment Committee, Murathe said it was unfair for him to be tagged a covid billionaire yet he had nothing to do with what happened at KEMSA.

An agitated Murathe told committee members that all he did was to facilitate a friend to do business acting as their bank guarantor.

This comes after he admitted he was a bank guarantor for a firm implicated in the 7.8 billion shillings KEMSA scandal.

Marathe said he only played as a guarantor to Kilig Ltd that was awarded a 4 billion shillings tender to supply 450,000 personal protective equipment to Kemsa.

The Jubilee party Vice chairman says in the affidavit, that he was requested by Kilig then under the directorship of Wilbroad Gachoka and a Chinese national Zhu Jinping to guarantee payments to a Chinese firm trading as ENTEC Ltd.

However Gachoka when he appeared before the committee denied claims of having been involved in the tender as he had sold the company.

Meanwhile, The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) board has been overhauled.

In a gazette notice, President Uhuru Kenyatta revoked the appointment of Kembi Gitura as the KEMSA board chair and appointed Mary Chao Mwadime to replace him.

In the same gazette notice, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe appointed new KEMSA board they include Lawrence Wahome, Robert Nyarango, Terry Kiunge Ramadhani, and Linkon Nyaga Kinyua.