Nairobi — The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) which dominated news headlines over scandals, is transforming for the better.
The new leadership of Irungu Nyakera (Board Chairman) and Dr Andrew Mulwa who is the Chief Executive Officer said they have initiated reforms that will change the institution for good.
KEMSA dominated news headlines after the 2021 COVID Millionaires TV expose that led to the dismissal of the top management.
In May this year, President William Ruto also sacked Health PS Josephine Mburu, KEMSA CEO Terry Ramadhani and the entire board following a Sh3.7 billion mosquito nets scandal.
"We are changing this institution and this starts from being open and transparent," said Nyakera when addressing Editors during a retreat in Mombasa.
Both the Chairman and CEO said the KEMSA of today is more open and transparent due to the institutional reforms they are undertaking.
"I know there are people out there who are almost tired of waiting for the next scandal at KEMSA," said Dr Mulwa.
According to Nyakera, the new team has instituted reforms to seal loopholes in the procurement system to guarantee transparency and fairness.
Scandals in previous years have significantly affected funding from donors, some of whom pulled out but are now showing interest.
The acting director of Gilbert Mamati said KEMSA has embarked on addressing concerns raised by donors and other stakeholders to restore public confidence.
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The CEO, Dr. Mulwa, said he is determined to change KEMSA from a scandal-ridden authority to an open and transparent organisation.
"We don't want to be an organization that is always known for scandals and that is why we are undertaking these reforms to ensure everything is done right and within the law," he said.
Dr Mulwa said procurement processes at the KEMSA will always be open to ensure fairness.
"We are digitizing the whole process because this will enable us to track the whole process to know when a tender was advertised, when it was opened, awarded and how the whole process was done," he said.
He said part of the reforms the authority is undertaking is aligning purchases to the needs of customers, mainly counties.
"Every county has unique demand, and that is why we are working closely with the counties to ensure their supply requirements are harmonized with their specific needs," Dr. Mulwa stated.
