Five suspects allegedly stole 20 boxes of urine specimens from the Ministry of Health (MoH) worth Ksh184,000 and were released on Ksh100,000 cash bail each after being charged with colluding with others to steal the containers; four witnesses are set to testify against them.
The theft reveals a persistent problem of accountability and mismanagement of public funds in the Ministry of Health that has been ongoing for several years.
President William Ruto instituted measures aimed at improving healthcare delivery and safeguarding public resources after the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that taxpayers lost billions of shillings in shady procurement deals.
One of these measures was reducing the procurement powers of the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) and replacing Mary Chao Mwadime with Daniel Rono as the KEMSA board chairperson on February 10th.
The Ministry of Health must address transparency and accountability issues to regain public trust as the case continues.
The public expects the Ministry to effectively manage public funds and resources, including medical supplies.
The government must continue prioritizing measures that will safeguard public resources and ensure quality healthcare delivery for all citizens.
