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Elder Lister
Tuesday, December 03, 2024
By NATION Editorial
Government contracts are becoming its Achilles’ heel, with opaque deals driven by high-level corruption. However, agreements that tie up public resources must only be allowed if they can yield value for citizens. As the government assures Kenyans that no penalties will be suffered in the wake of the cancellation of the shady multi-billion deals with Indian conglomerate Adani Group, more suspect agreements are emerging. Of serious public concern is the mystery supplier angling for the Social Health Authority (SHA) billions in deals the Health ministry has signed with the counties for leasing of medical equipment. This echoes a past suspect deal in which the counties were left with huge debts. Some equipment remained idle for several years and yet the counties continued to remit payments though they were never involved in the decision-making.
Under the National Equipment Service Project (NESP), the supplier will lease medical equipment to county-owned facilities. NESP will succeed the controversial Medical Equipment Service, which saw taxpayers part with Sh63 billion in deals that remain shrouded in secrecy to date. The cost and revenue-sharing formula in the deals under NESP are already threatening to sink the health facilities. Quite intriguing is the revelation that the leasing fees will eat up most of the money to be directly paid by SHA for the patients. In other words, another mega scandal appears to be loading before the eyes of Kenyans, who will bear the brunt. Some 37 counties have already signed agreements with the Health ministry, which will allow them to lease equipment from a vendor that has been exclusively sourced by it.
And following the Adani debacle, Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo says the government will now seek a new investor to expand and modernise the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
It is in the public interest that all State contracts, especially for huge infrastructure projects, be made transparent.
By NATION Editorial
Government contracts are becoming its Achilles’ heel, with opaque deals driven by high-level corruption. However, agreements that tie up public resources must only be allowed if they can yield value for citizens. As the government assures Kenyans that no penalties will be suffered in the wake of the cancellation of the shady multi-billion deals with Indian conglomerate Adani Group, more suspect agreements are emerging. Of serious public concern is the mystery supplier angling for the Social Health Authority (SHA) billions in deals the Health ministry has signed with the counties for leasing of medical equipment. This echoes a past suspect deal in which the counties were left with huge debts. Some equipment remained idle for several years and yet the counties continued to remit payments though they were never involved in the decision-making.
Under the National Equipment Service Project (NESP), the supplier will lease medical equipment to county-owned facilities. NESP will succeed the controversial Medical Equipment Service, which saw taxpayers part with Sh63 billion in deals that remain shrouded in secrecy to date. The cost and revenue-sharing formula in the deals under NESP are already threatening to sink the health facilities. Quite intriguing is the revelation that the leasing fees will eat up most of the money to be directly paid by SHA for the patients. In other words, another mega scandal appears to be loading before the eyes of Kenyans, who will bear the brunt. Some 37 counties have already signed agreements with the Health ministry, which will allow them to lease equipment from a vendor that has been exclusively sourced by it.
And following the Adani debacle, Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo says the government will now seek a new investor to expand and modernise the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
It is in the public interest that all State contracts, especially for huge infrastructure projects, be made transparent.
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