NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) is facing fresh controversy following concerns about how it handled a major procurement deal with Angelica Medical Supplies Limited, a local supplier.
Members of Parliament have raised alarms over the authority’s procurement processes, questioning how medical items were received before necessary contracts were signed.
The issue came to light during a session of the Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration, and Agriculture (PIC-SSAA), which is reviewing the Auditor-General’s reports on KEMSA’s financial accounts from 2019/2020 to 2023/2024.
The committee, chaired by MP Emmanuel Wangwe, grilled KEMSA officials over discrepancies in supporting documents related to the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other essential items.
One of the key points of contention was the timing of critical documents involved in the procurement process.
MPs noted that goods from Angelica Medical Supplies were delivered in April 2020, but the acceptance letters for those goods were dated May, and the contract itself was signed two months later in June.
This timeline has raised serious questions about the sequence of events.
“There’s a clear mismatch in the sequence of events. You cannot have goods delivered in April 2020, acceptance letters dated May, and then a contract signed two months later in June. It raises serious accountability questions,” said Wangwe, the committee chair.
The MPs were particularly concerned that the delivery of goods occurred before any formal contract was in place, which they argued violated procurement rules.
In some cases, goods arrived before KEMSA had the authority to accept or verify them.
The committee also found that the acceptance letters were issued after delivery but before the contract was signed, further deepening the confusion surrounding the process.
This is not the first time KEMSA has come under fire for its procurement practices, with the authority facing similar scandals in the past.
Despite the repeated concerns, KEMSA struggled to provide satisfactory explanations during the session.
Additionally, MPs questioned why some goods marked as “emergency supplies” were delivered late.
Although KEMSA had claimed that the items were urgently needed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was revealed that some goods were delivered two to three weeks later than expected.
KEMSA attributed the delays to Covid-19-related restrictions, including lockdowns and reduced movement of goods, but the committee expressed dissatisfaction with this explanation, particularly given the authority’s previous controversies during the pandemic.
The MPs also expressed concerns about weak oversight and poor compliance with procurement regulations, as several goods were not verified on time.
Othaya MP Michael Wainaina questioned the lack of proper documentation, stating, “The government cannot give you any contract without documentation. You present that document during tendering. If you later seek payment without a proper contract in place, who will be accountable?”
In light of the growing concerns, the committee has demanded that KEMSA submit all original and complete documents related to the procurement deal in question for further scrutiny.
