Relief for Kemsa staff working from home after Health CS Nakhumicha order them back to office
Staff members of the graft laden national drugs authority, Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) who have been working from home for close to two years now have a sigh of relief after Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha ordered them back to the office effective immediately.
Nakhumicha issued the directive yesterday as she inaugurated the new Kemsa board members chaired by Irungu Nyakera and new acting Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mulwa following dismissal of previous board and Mulwa’s predecessor Terry Ramadhani over the Sh3.7billion Global Fund financed mosquito-net tendering scam.
The Informer Media Group established that the previous board chaired by shortest serving chairperson Daniel Rono who was unceremoniously sacked by president William Ruto had on three occasions made board resolutions to Ramadhani to have staff recalled but the directives were not honoured.
“I hereby direct the CEO, effective Friday, over 200 Kemsa staff working from home to report to work. I also direct the chair to ensure staff understands what’s expected of them.” Nakhumicha said.
She said the workers must report back to work on Friday because they have been drawing salaries from the agency for more than two years while ‘sitting idle at home.’
The former drug agency’s board had sent the staff away from office effective November 2021 to pave the way for a restructuring that has hit a brick wall following the Sh7.8 billion Covid-19 scandal.
“It does not make sense to have paid over 200 people for two years and have them sitting at home in the name of Covid-19, yet we all go to our offices.” She added.
Those on secondment at Kemsa were recalled back to the ministry.
The employees’ jobs had been taken over by casuals. Some workers were also seconded from various government departments to take up the jobs.
Those at home and their replacements were all drawing salaries and allowances, resulting in a huge wage bill for the agency.
For the 19 months, the staff at home were earning about Sh45 million monthly, translating to Sh855 million for the period.
Kemsa has been spending Sh90million monthly to pay its 912 employees, including those at home.
Suspended Kemsa CEO Terry Ramadhani had told the National Assembly’s Health committee that the employees sent home had obtained court orders requiring the agency to pay them full salaries, allowances and benefits.
However, Health CS clarified in a recent television interview that the staff at home were being paid half the salaries as required by the law.
Nyakera is one of the twelve Principal Secretaries who were sacked from the retired president Uhuru Kenyatta’s cabinet during his second and final term after he failed to renew their contracts.
The Farmers Party national chairman and party boss also unsuccessfully vied for Murang’a gubernatorial seat in the August 2022 polls.
On his part, Mulwa is the immediate former Director, Medical Services, Preventive and Promotive Health at the Ministry of Health and former Makueni County Health CEC.
