A section of lawmakers have claimed that powerful individuals operating in the Ministry of Health have been sabotaging Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa to have her removed from the docket.

The lawmakers also cited the bad relationship between the Medical Services Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai and Public Health and Professional Standards PS Mary Muriuki as among the issues making it impossible for the ministry to deliver on its mandate.

The MPs under the Western Region Caucus claimed that a certain Cabinet Secretary is also pushing for Barasa’s ouster from office to take charge in the looming reshuffle.

MPs Wamboka Wanami (Bumula), Majibo Kalasinga (Kabuchai), John Chikati (Tongaren), John Walukhe (Sirisia) and Martin Wayonyi (Webuye East) said they will not allow anyone to fight Barasa as she is there by right and threatened to reconsider their stay in the broad-based government should Barasa be hounded out of office.

Fighting cartels

They claimed cartels operating in the broad-based government have been fighting Barasa on a daily basis as they are keen to portray her in a negative light so that the appointing authority can kick her out.

Further, they alleged that cartels who had infiltrated the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) are the ones fighting back as they have vowed to have one of their own take over the ministry.

Said Chikati: “We have come here to raise concerns in the Ministry of Health. We are aware that there are cartels working behind the scenes to the extent that they are fighting to show the incapabilities of the CS health, something we will not agree to.”

He added: “We know these people and we shall soon be revealing their names should they continue doing this. We are telling these people to leave the minister alone as he is capable of handling the ministry.”

The revelations come at a time when President William Ruto is expected to reshuffle cabinet secretaries and permanent secretaries to reflect the broad-based government.

Co-operation agreement

The move comes following the signing of a deal between President William Ruto and ODM chief Raila Odinga Ruto and Raila at KICC in Nairobi on Friday, setting the stage for massive changes in the Kenya Kwanza government.

Addressing a news conference yesterday the MPs claimed that the situation in the ministry is so bad to the extent that the decisions Barasa makes are revoked by the Principal Secretaries in the ministry.

They cited the nomination of Andrew Mulwa to head the National AIDS & STI Control Programme (NASCOP) which Barasa revoked as among the issues that are being used to fight her continuous stay in office.

The moves come after Barasa revoked the nomination of Andrew Mulwa to head the National AIDS & STI Control Programme (NASCOP), PS Medical Services who had initially made the appointment went ahead and issued an internal memo to the Acting Deputy Director General formally authorizing the deployment of Andrew Mulwa to NASCOP with immediate effect.

In particular, Walukhe said that he is aware that cartels who siphoned monies in the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) are the same ones behind the current woos in the ministry.

He said: “We know what is going on in the Ministry of Health. It is one PS doing all this. We are going to name her. You know her. It is clear that the cartels behind this move have stolen money and that is why they are doing all this”

Kalasinga said it is bad faith that a minister can revoke an appointment and the same is appointed by a Principal Secretary.

He said: “We cannot allow you to frustrate a minister like that to the extent that she cannot work. This Kenya Kwanza government, we formed it and we fought for it. We are saying that if this decision is based on the broad-based government, we are not going to allow this to happen.”

And added: “I have seen people fighting this lady. In Luhya, we don’t fight women. We are warning the leader to desist from fighting this lady and allow her to do her job.