The head of the National Youth Service (NYS), Ms Matilda Sakwa, has moved to dispel fears that the youth training body has taken over the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa), insisting that it’s only offering support.
“NYS is supporting Kemsa the same way it has been supporting other departments in government. NYS is basically available to any government department that needs vital support. This does not mean NYS has taken over Kemsa. Kemsa remains Kemsa,” she said on Saturday at NYS Yatta Field School in Machakos County when she graced the agency’s inter-regional games.
She was reacting to uproar that greeted the news that NYS servicemen and women will temporarily manage operations at the troubled medical agency.
Those who faulted the move argued that NYS is not equipped to effectively handle medical tasks, while others noted that the agency is also on the anti-corruption agency's radar and as such cannot be trusted with running Kemsa.
For instance, Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina is among politicians who have openly lamented that placing NYS at the centre of Kemsa operations was part of a scheme by the government to militarise government departments.
However, the NYS boss has dismissed the criticisms as baseless. She insisted that the government placed NYS in charge of Kemsa because the youth agency is known for being disciplined. On the corruption allegations which have haunted NYS, she said much of it was unfair.
“The people stealing from NYS are individuals from the government so you cannot blame the agency for their wrongs,” Ms Sakwa said.
She revealed that the deployed NYS staff will serve as drivers, logisticians, warehousing staff, security guards, and secretariat members at Kemsa.
“We shall transfer knowledge and and restructure the organisation within 30 days. We shall build some of the talents that the government wants at Kemsa to ensure that they get the best out of their programmes and projects”.
Last week, Kemsa Board Mary Chao Mwadime announced that all non-core staff will work from home for 30 days amid restructuring. She said the move follows findings of a recent survey that revealed the agency is underperforming and unable to deliver services to Kenyans.
In a move that has seen Kemsa employees pay the highest price for procurement scandals at the agency, about 600 staff being sent home for 30 days amid a restructuring.
Kemsa has more than 900 workers but only 341 who provide essential services will be retained, sparking fears of mass job losses.
