Part One: KEMSA bleeding from the breeding rot
In our initial publication of a three part series exposé, The Informer now lays bare the extent of impunity, internal sabotage and maladministration by senior managers, board members and senior Ministry of Health officials including the skewed recruitment of the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Terry Ramadhani Kiunge only days after President William Ruto publicly expressed concerns about cartels holding the national drug supplies agency hostage and his determination to empty the swamp of decaying rot as revealed by our dive inside Kemsa.
Ramadhani, until March 5, 2022 when she resigned as a director of the board before her appointment on May 19, 2022 served as the chairperson of the Human Resource committee of the board when the process for recruitment of office bearer she holds today was initiated.
Interestingly, according to documents in our possession, the office of the then Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe received Ramadhani’s resignation on March 5, 2022 despite failing on a weekend, Saturday, when government offices are always the same day Kemsa advertised the CEO’s post.
“I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated March 5, 2022 on your intent to resign from your position as a Director at Kemsa board. I would like to covey gratitude for your service to the nation for the time you have served and take this opportunity to wish you well in your future endeavours.” Kagwe responded vide correspondence Ref:MOH/ADM/VOL.3/44
Records obtained by our investigation team show that between February 2 to February 5, 20222, the board’s HR committee was booked at the Lake Naivasha Resort when a resolution not to renew former CEO’s Jonah Manjari contract was made and instead, have the post advertised afresh.
At the time, Ramadhani was chairing the committee as a board member.
“The members agreed that the process of advertising for the CEO role should kick start and a letter communicating to Dr. Manjari that his contract won’t be renewed drafted and sent.” Part of the minutes, Min.08/HR Committee meeting/2022 signed by Ramadhani as committee chairperson reads in part.
The Public Service Commission (PSC) through documents filed in court in a suit challenging the CEO’s appointment has since termed the process a sham.
“That at the outset, I wish to clarify that the commission only learnt of the impugned recruitment process of the CEO of Kemsa through the instant petition…17. ii. The interested party resigned from the board of Kemsa vide a letter dated March 5, 2022 which letter was acknowledged by the Cabinet Secretary for Health vide his letter of March 7, 2022. By this time, she had already kick-started the process of recruitment of the CEO in her capacity as the chairperson of the Human Resource Committee.”
“The interested party attended all Kemsa committee meetings in which her recruitment was being discussed and deliberated upon even after she had resigned from Kemsa. Under the circumstances, there was clear conflict of interest and illegality on her part and that of Kemsa for entertaining such an act.” PSC CEO Dr. Simon Rotich says in his affidavit.
Further, the commission holds that the process lacked meaningful public participation in terms of legal requirement for the advertisement to be placed in the commission website, failure to do the longlisting, shortlisting of applicants, non-disclosure of the interviewing venue and date and failure to ask for public views regarding the shortlisted candidates.
In the suit, Kemsa is the first respondent, Health Cabinet Secretary second respondent while Health Principal Secretary, Public Service Commission and the Attorney General have been sued as the third, fourth and fifth respondents respectively.
Ramadhani has been listed as an interested party.
We established that out of the 23 applicants listed as having applied for the position, according to official Kemsa records, three names were submitted to Kagwe for appointment ranking Ramadhani the highest at 88.83 per cent in an interview conducted by her then immediate former board member colleagues.
“Reference is made to the above subject matter, and to your letter referenced KEMSA/MOH/CHAIR/014, dated 8th April 2022. The ministry notes that the board of directors forwarded three candidates for consideration to fill up the position of Chief Executive Officer. I hereby appoint the highest ranked candidate, Ms. Terry Ramadhani Kiunge, as the Chief Executive Officer at Kemsa.” Kagwe said vide a letter dated May 13, 2022 addressed to board chairperson Mary Mwadime.
Mwadime submitted the three names to Kagwe on April 8, 2022 but the letter was received by Kagwe on April 12, 2022 and appointed the CEO the following day.
However, although the advertisement indicated the new CEO would take up office in July 1, 2022, Ramadhani was installed into office on May 19, 2023.
According to Kemsa Act of 2013, eligible Kemsa CEO must; be a hold a minimum of a first degree in pharmacy or medicine; a postgraduate degree in business management or postgraduate training in supplies management; possesses at least five years’ experience in senior management; and satisfies the requirements of chapter six of the Constitution. Other requirements are regarded as added advantage.
Ramadhani holds a Bachelor of Education, Home Economics from Kenyatta University.
Others applicants were; Dr. Sultani Hadley Matendechero (78.79 per cent), Dr. Duncan Kimosop Kibogong (71.21 per cent), Dr. Gerald Macharia (69.13 per cent), Abdalla Omari (66.53 per cent) and Dr. David Gicheru Kariuki ranked at 63.41 per cent among others.
The applicants were identified using their names and sequential codes serialised from code KCE01 to KCE023.
Interviews for the candidates were secretly conducted at the Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club on April 8, 2022 during the 84th full board meeting presided over by board chairperson Mary Mwandime.
Besides Mwadime, the interviewing panel comprised of Tom Menge (member), Mary Atieno Owino (member), Captain rtd Lawrence Wahome (member) and linton Nyagah Kinyua (member).
Others were Isaack Odek from the Inspectorate of State Corporations; Kuria Muchiru (lead consultant), Patience Njau (consultant), Milka Wamae (consultant), Lilian Njeri (consultant) and Lewis Kiptanui (consultant).
Our Second publication of the Three Part Series exposé runs tomorrow January 10, 2023
