President Uhuru Kenyatta has made changes within the ministry of health.
In the changes that take effect immediately, the head of state moved Health PS Susan Mochache to Medical Services.
Dr Francis Owino becomes the PS for Public Health while Peter Kinuthia Thuku takes up the role of Principal Administrative Secretary at MOH.
Ambassador Johnson Weru is the new PS in the Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development.
“His excellency the president, with a view of strengthening the management of ministry of health has made the following changes…” read a statement by State House spokesperson Kanze Dena.
This comes in the wake of suspected loss of billions of shillings meant to go towards the fight against COVID-19.
It is said that some Sh43 billion could have been lost at Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa).
The agency is accused of having procured Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) at inflated prices.
Earlier today, the president ordered the DCI to complete investigations into the graft allegations within 21 days.
On Tuesday, the National Assembly gave Auditor General Nancy Gathungu 60 days to conduct a forensic audit on the expenditure of COVID-19 funds.
According to the MPs, the audit on the expenditure of billions received from different organizations including the Rapid Credit Facility of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank should focus on procurement, warehousing and distribution of essential medicines including personal protective equipment (PPE’s) with a view to confirming whether the expenditures were incurred lawfully and in an effective way in line with Article 227 of the Constitution.
“The general objective of the forensic audit is to identify the types of fraud, corruption and other financial improprieties if any, quantifying the amount of loss; determining who was involved, when it began, why it was possible to perpetuate it, and how it was concealed; and reporting the findings with supporting evidence, ” said James Opiyo Wandayi, the Public Accounts Committee Chairperson.
Wandayi said the committee expects to receive an interim report within the first thirty days of the assignment and, thereafter, fortnight progress reports and the final report by the end of the task.
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