Questions surrounding the Sh3.7 billion mosquito net scandal and the doctors’ strikes came to haunt former Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha who appeared before MPs for vetting following her nomination as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the UN Habitat.

Nakhumicha exonerated former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over claims that he interfered with the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) tender.

MPs who sit in the Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations committee sought to know her role in the entire procurement even as they demanded she explains why it took her long to deal with the doctor’s strike that lasted more than 56 days during her tenure.

Gilgil MP Martha Wangari asked Nakhumicha to shed light on the scandal in which billions of shillings were lost as well as on the actions taken to ensure those involved in corrupt deals were brought to book.

Committee chairperson and Belgut MP Nelson Koech who sought to know whether ousted Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was involved in the matter asked her to clarify why the procurement of the nets was moved from Medical Services to Public Health department.

Baringo Central legislator Joshua Kandie accused Nakhumicha of failing to handle the many challenges in the health sector the way they should have been handled, a move that led to citizens labelling her incompetent and seeking for her resignation.

Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan who claimed that Nakhumicha’s tenure at the ministry was riddled with a lot of issues that led to doctor’s strike sought to know whether she will use the lessons she learnt as CS to better her performance at her new job.

Saboti MP Caleb Amisi who described her tenure as one that has been a rollercoaster of events sought to know whether she is working under duress following claims from former Attorney General Justin Muturi that she had wanted him to sign documents whose details he was not aware of.

New wealth

Currently with a net worth of Sh140 million, up from Sh101 million when she was vetted for Health CS position two years ago, Nakhumicha said in response that the mosquito net scandal that happened in her early days in office was regrettable and Kenya lost an opportunity to make money should it have procured the tender. The interference of the tender then saw Global Fund move procurement elsewhere. While defending herself, Nakhumicha said the president took action by terminating the contract of those involved.

“I believe I did my best, during my tenure as CS, I was never reprimanded by my boss, I was called to the National Assembly and Senate and responded to questions adequately, I got honoured as Elder of the Golden Heart of Kenya the highest for a civilian by the President,” she said.

On whether Gachagua influenced the tender, she explained that he did not interfere with it and she only came to know about his alleged involvement in the matter during his impeachment motion in parliament.

With regards to the transfer of the tender from one department to another, she said that she implemented the Executive Order issued by the President and did not mischievously move the mosquito net matter from Medical Services to Public Health.

On strikes by doctors, she said that industrial strikes for health workers are not new as they started during the tenures of her predecessors.

“I did my very best to manage the Doctors strike which lasted for 56 days and managed to ensure that Nurses did not go on strike because it would have been chaotic,” the former CS explained.

Former Principal Secretary in the State Department for Sports Peter Tum, whose net worth is Sh314 million and who has been nominated for the position of ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo also defended himself from the mosquito scandal after lawmakers sought to know his involvement in the deal.

Baringo Central MP Joshua Kandie sought his explanation in the matter after his name was linked to scandal while Kinangop MP Kwenya Thuku asked him to name the person who directed the movement of the procurement from one department to another.

Ministerial sojourner

Tum explained that he was in charge of Medical Services while mosquito nets matter was being overseen by the PS for Public Health, exculpating himself from any role in the scandal. He said that the tendering for mosquito nets was moved to the other department for purposes of procurement.

On whether he has any experience in diplomacy and why he had been transferred across various ministries in a time span of one year, he said that it was the prerogative of the President to undertake changes in the Executive without consulting anyone since he carries out oversight on all government ministries.

With regards to his former tenure, he said that as PS in the ministries of Labour and Health, he ensured that employees did not suffer during the Covid period while in the Sports ministry, he was able to negotiate for AFCON and CHAN and paid hosting fees for CHAN amounting to Sh1.6 billion.

Former Nyeri Deputy Governor Caroline Karugu who is nominee for the position of Principal Secretary, State Department of East African Community promised to promote trade between Kenya and the neighbouring countries if approved.

Karugu who is a close ally of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga told the committee that she wrote a letter declining ambassadorial position nomination due to her engagement in politics at the time.

Karugu who is a Finance and Economics expert said she believed she was ready to take the challenge to promote bilateral engagement with sister states.