A section of business community in Garissa have welcomed president Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive to DCI to hasten investigations into impropriety at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).
In his address to the nation on Wednesday last week, President Uhuru Kenya said that due to compelling public interest on the matter the relevant agencies should expedite the ongoing investigations and conclude the same within 21 days.
Addressing the press at a Garissa hotel today, the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) officials led by the national director Omar Sadik said that the business community is one of the most hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Our situation was already on a downfall trend even before Coronavirus struck. The situation has now been worsened even more following the pandemic that has seen several businesses close shop,” Sadik said.
He said that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) who form the bulk of KNCCI membership are the worst affected when corruption takes place and hence the need to seal all the loopholes that lead to wastages of public fund.
“It is well documented that SMEs are the backbone of Kenya’s economy. Unfortunately, this group suffers the most and that is why we are calling on the president to make sure that those found culpable are prosecuted,” he added.
Mohamed Salat, the chair Garissa (KNCCI) said that in as much as they fully support the investigations, they hope it will not be another PR exercise.
“It is in the interest of Kenyans that the Covid-19 funds are prudently spent. It is the role of the government to ensure that money meant to curb the spread of the virus and protect the frontline workers is properly utilized. We as KNCCI do not condone corruption,” he said.
County Women Representative Rukia Mohamed and KNCCI Garissa branch called on the Garissa county executive to allocate funds to the revolving fund kitty whose funds were re-allocated to the ministry of health after the outbreak of coronavirus.
Rukia said the would-be beneficiaries had already been trained and were only waiting to be funded when the pandemic struck.
“The Sh. 150 million that was supposed to fund these groups could have made a huge impact to the groups, majority of whom are women and youth that don’t have the collateral to secure loans from banks and other lending institutions,” Rukia said.
She further appealed to the county administration to continue paying contractors who offered services to the county during the last regime saying that their lives had been turned upside down by Covid-19.
By Jacob Songok
