I was not under any pressure - Kemsa CEO Jonah Manjari makes U-turn

I was not under any pressure - Kemsa CEO makes U-turn

Tony Mukere

September 3, 2020 1:58 PM

CEO goes back on testimony implicating CS Kagwe

I was not under any pressure - Kemsa CEO Jonah Manjari makes U-turn

Suspended Kemsa boss Jonah Manjari on Thursday said he did not work under any pressure during the procurement and payment of Covid19 supplies.

Manjari made an about turn from his earlier testimony when he named Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, PS Susan Mochache, and an unnamed Brigadier of putting him under a lot if pressure.

"As a CEO, I did not work under any pressure from any quarters whatsoever. I did this with my eyes open," Manjari testified before the National Assembly's Health Committee.

His testimony on Thursday appeared to turn back on his testimony before the Senate Ad Hoc committee on Covid19 where he appeared on Monday.

Manjari said he undertook emergency procurement procedures without approval of the Kemsa board after receiving instructions from Health CS Mutahi Kagwe and his PS Susan Mochache.

"We were told to distribute PPEs to various Covid19 hot spots. I was under a lot of pressure even though we did not have them. The instructions came from PS Susan Mochache as well as from CS Mutahi Kagwe. There is also a brigadier who was in charge of the emergency response team, I don't remember him.

"At one time, they came to our Kemsa warehouse and gave verbal instructions that we must supply certain items failure to which they would take over our warehouse," Manjari said.

He added that the instructions sometimes included when and how much to be paid to which supplier of the Covid-19 items.

The Kemsa's CEO's testimony has triggered calls for Kagwe and Mochache to resign to allow investigations into their personal culpability.

CS Kagwe on Wednesday denied being involved in the Kemsa procurement and challenged Manjari to produce evidence on the same.

Tony Mukere