Megascope never cleared Jack Ma Covid-19 donations, CEO Ngatia tells Health Committee as NTV Risks paying Billions in Defamatory suit
Megascope Healthcare (K) Limited Chief Executive Officer Richard Ngatia Ngatia has clarified through submissions before the National Assembly Health Committee that his firm was not involved in shady deals with the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) in the supply of COVID-19 equipment.
He was categorical that Megascope did not participate in any clearing of COVID-19 donations by the Jack Ma Foundation on behalf of Kemsa or any other entity for that matter.
Ngatia also said Megascope has never been a clearing and forwarding agency effectively putting Nation Media Group on the defensive over the NTV exposé dubbed Covid19Millionnaires which named Megascope and Crowne Healthcare in bad light.
Already, Megascope has filed a defamatory suit over the alleged investigative piece by NTV risking to cripple the media outlet over possible compensation in form of damages the suit might attract running into billions of shillings.
Megascope has agency rights with many international companies globally namely Neusoft, Heinen + Lowenstein, Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical,Stephanix, Tuttnaur, KaVo Dental, Ottobok and Steridium of Australia among others.
“Megascope Health care limited has never been registered as a clearing agent of any sort and as such does not have the mandate to clear any consignments and we have never been engaged by any government agency nor KEMSA to clear any COVID-19 related consignment including the donations from Jack Ma,” Ngatia said.
The Transport Ministry has also dismissed reports in an NTV expose that Megascope was contracted to clear the Jack Ma donation.
Transport Chief Administrative Secretary Chris Obure had earlier told the committee that no private firm was contracted to clear any of the Covid-19 donations from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma.
Ngatia appealed to Parliament to protect private businesses from “mob lynching” by certain members of the public.
Ngatia said his company has been unfairly linked to the mess at Kemsa when all it did was honest business to help the government fight the pandemic.
“Megascope has never been registered as clearing agent and we have no mandate to clear,” he said.