President William Ruto rewarded his loyalists with key jobs in the Ministry of Health.
In a Kenya gazette notice dated February 10, 2023, Ruto appointed Samier Muravvej to be the chairperson of the board of directors of Kenyatta National Hospital.
Muravvej’s will serve for three years, with his term commencing on the appointment date. Ruto, in turn, revoked the appointment of George Opondo Ooko, who was serving in the same capacity.
At the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), Ruto appointed Daniel Rono as the chairperson of the board of directors with effect from February 10, revoking the appointment of Mary Chao Mwadime.
Daniel Rono is the former Keiyo South MP and a confidant of the President.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 5 (1) (a) of the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority Act, as read together with section 51 (1) of the Interpretation and General Provisions Act, I, William Samoei Ruto appoint Daniel Rono as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority, for three years,” Ruto directed.
On the other end, Health CS, Susan Nakhumicha revoked the appointment of Kenneth Wabwire Akide as the Chairperson of the Trustees of the Kenya Hospital Authority Trust Fund (KHATF).
In his place, she appointed Dr Wilfred Lesan to serve for a term of three years.
Nakhumicha also appointed Irine Ogamba and Dennis Gitari members of the National Health Insurance Fund, for three years, with effect from January, 20.
The health sector, in the previous administrations, was bedevilled by various scandals, from the KEMSA billionaires to the Ksh800 million mobile clinics.
In Ruto’s first five months in office, doctors threatened to strike, forcing the government to intervene. The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) called off the strike after the government promised to review the basic salaries as per the 2017-2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Meanwhile, Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS), Kithure Kindiki, appointed Margaret Karanja as a board member of the National Authority for Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) for a 3-year term. Her term commenced on Friday, February, 3.
