Senator Demands Answers Over Ksh1 Billion Expired Drugs at KEMSA

Murang'a Senator Joe Nyutu has called for a detailed explanation over the reported expiry of drugs and medical supplies valued at about Ksh1 billion at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).

Raising the matter in the Senate on Thursday, Jue 11, he asked the Senate Standing Committee on Health to investigate the circumstances surrounding the loss, describing it as an issue of national importance. 

Nyutu noted that the expired stock reportedly included critical medicines and medical supplies used to treat cancer, HIV/AIDS, malaria and other serious illnesses.

He said the incident raises concerns about procurement processes, inventory management, stock monitoring, distribution systems and accountability at both KEMSA and the Ministry of Health.

Nyutu wants the committee to provide a comprehensive breakdown of the affected commodities, including their total value, quantities, types and expiry dates, as well as details of the warehouses and health facilities where the stock was stored before it became unusable.

He also sought clarification on the factors that led to the accumulation and eventual expiry of the medicines. 

Nyutu asked the committee to examine whether failures in procurement planning, demand forecasting, stock monitoring, stock rotation, distribution mechanisms or coordination between agencies contributed to the losses.

He further requested the committee to determine whether public health facilities experienced shortages of the same medicines and supplies while the expired stock remained in storage. 

Nyutu also wants details on the actions taken by KEMSA and the Ministry of Health after receiving reports of such shortages.

In addition, he called for the identification of the officers, departments or institutions responsible for the procurement, storage, management and distribution of the affected supplies. 

Nyutu further asked for disclosure of any administrative, disciplinary or legal measures taken against those found culpable, as well as efforts to recover losses resulting from negligence, mismanagement or misconduct.

"The Committee is further required to outline long term reforms being implemented by KEMSA and the Ministry of Health to strengthen inventory management, enhance timely distribution of medical commodities, improve accountability and prevent recurrence of wastage of essential medicines and medical supplies," Parliament said in a statement.

Elsewhere, concerns are mounting over plans to dispose of Golf Hotel Kakamega, with Senator Boni Khalwale questioning the rationale behind the move and demanding full disclosure on how the decision was reached.  

Seeking answers from the Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources on Wednesday, June 10, the Senator argued that the process lacks transparency and could put a valuable public asset at risk.

Khalwale pointed out that the County Government of Kakamega holds a stake in the hotel, which sits on approximately three acres of land, alongside an additional fourteen-acre parcel linked to the facility. 

According to him, the proposed sale has unsettled residents and stakeholders, especially given that the land was originally donated by local families for the establishment of the hotel.

Khalwale said the hotel has remained financially stable in recent years, consistently generating profits, paying dividends, and recording no losses, raising further questions about why its disposal is being considered at all.

The Senator has now called on the committee to provide a detailed explanation of the criteria used to justify the proposed sale despite the hotel’s strong financial performance.

Khalwale is also seeking clarity on the current status of the transaction, including whether the process followed was open, competitive, and transparent, and whether the County Government of Kakamega participated by submitting any bid.

Further scrutiny has been directed at the approval process, with the Senator asking whether the County Executive Committee, chaired by the Governor, formally approved the sale, particularly considering the county’s interest in the adjacent fourteen-acre parcel. 

Khalwale has further requested documentary proof of any such approval.

In addition, he wants confirmation on whether the County Assembly of Kakamega debated and approved the proposed transaction, including access to the official resolutions and supporting records tied to the decision.

Khalwale has also pressed for full details on public participation, including reports, minutes, and evidence of consultations held with residents and other stakeholders across Kakamega County.