Written By John Mutiso 📝
The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) hired more than double the number of employees required, indicating waste at the State agency.
According to a report submitted to lawmakers by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu, Kemsa had 912 employees in the fiscal year ended June 2020, compared to an approved number of 341.
The report stated that no approval was given to hire the additional 571 workers at the agency at the center of corrupt dealings involving the procurement of Covid-19 emergency equipment.
She also stated that five officers on secondment from the Ministry of Health had served the organization for more than six years, in violation of the law.
According to the Public Service Commission’s human resources policy, pensionable officers may be seconded from the public service to other organizations for a period of three years, renewable once.
“No explanation was provided for this anomaly,” said the Auditor General.
The Auditor-General also stated that as a result of the bloated workforce, Kemsa’s staff costs amounted to Sh1 billion in the fiscal year ending June 2020.
“In the circumstances, the accuracy and validity of staff costs balance of Sh1, 083,420,635 for the year ended 30 June 2020 could not be confirmed,” she said.
Kemsa is undergoing restructuring in an effort to reform the agency and improve employee accountability in the wake of a string of scandals.
On April 29, last year, President Uhuru Kenyatta restructured the Kemsa board of directors in the aftermath of multibillion-shilling scandals plaguing the medical supplies agency.
Mary Chao Mwadime replaced former board chairman Kembi Gitura, who was transferred to the Communications Authority (CA) in a similar capacity on March 17, 2021.
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