President William Ruto has initiated a purge at the graft tainted Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) by revoking the appointment of Mary Chao Mwadime as the board chairperson replacing her with former Keiyo South Member of Parliament Daniel Rono.
Through a gazette notice published today, Rono will serve as the board chairperson for the next three years.
The move is seen as the beginning of cleansing the mess of massive tender fraud and mismanagement at the national drugs agency even as Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha is working on reform process including proposed scrapping of procurement mandate from Kemsa.
In the proposed changes, if adopted, Kemsa will mainly concentrate on warehousing and storage of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical products while procurement role will be delegated to other bodies within the ministry.
Previously, Kemsa has hit headlines over flawed procurement processes including the Sh8.3billion Covid-19 supplies procurement scam, alleged irregular recruitment and appointment of Chief Executive Officer Terry Ramadhani Kiunge among others.
In a gazette notice released today, others appointed include former County governors Cleophas Lagat and Jack Ranguma have been picked as chairpersons of Board of Directors of the Rivatex East Africa Limited and the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority SASRA) respectively for a period of three years.
Former Uasin Gishu Deputy governor Daniel Chemno will be the new chairperson to New Kenya Planters Co-Operative Union (KPCU) while his ex-counterpart from Kericho County Lily Ngók becomes the Chairperson of the board of Directors of the Kenya Industrial Estates.
Ex-Mbeere North Constituency MP Charles Muriuki Njagagua has been appointed chairman of the board of Directors of the Consolidated Bank Limited, for a period of three (3) years.
On the other hand, former Kilome MP Regina Ndambuki is the new chairperson of the board of Directors of Tanathi Water Works Development Agency while former Vihiga legislator Yusuf Chanzu has been named the Chairperson of the National Housing Corporation.
Former Nyatike MP Edick Omondi Anyanga has landed the post of the chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority while Ex-Bumula lawmaker Moses Wekesa Mwambu Mabonga got the Chairperson position at the Insurance Regulatory Authority.
Former Nambale MP and Busia Governor aspirant Sakwa Bunyasi has also been appointed the Chairperson of the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Board while his former counterpart from Bomet East Beatrice Kones was awarded with a position as a member of the board of Directors of the Local Authorities Provident Fund, for a period of three years.
At the same time, president Ruto has appointed Former Law Society of Kenya Chairman Nelson Havi the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Retirement Benefits Authority for a period of three years. Havi unsuccessfully contested Westlands Parliamentary seat in August 2022 elections.