Lobby group in court to challenge new Kemsa CEO

Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) warehouse in Embakasi, Nairobi. FILE PHOTO | NMG

A lobby group has moved to court to challenge the appointment of Terry Kiunge Ramadhani as the chief executive officer of the Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa).

Sheria Mtaani says in a case filed under a certificate of urgency that the recruitment was conducted in secrecy and failed to involve the public as the agency failed to disclose the names of the applicants, the shortlisted candidates and the dates of the interviews to enable members of the public to participate and give their views.

The post was advertised on March 5, 2022. Ms Ramadhani was the director of the human resource committee and resigned a few days before she was picked as the new CEO.

“The recruitment process was opaque with no provision for public participation at any stage of the entire process. No lists of applicants were publicized or lists of shortlisted candidates or the public invited or given an opportunity to comment on the shortlisted candidates and the venue and times for the interviews were not advertised or publicized,” the lobby said.

Justice Anthony Mrima directed the lobby group’s lawyer Shadrack Wambui to serve Kemsa within five days. The case will be mentioned on June 6 for directions.

The lobby group wants the court to stop the appointment before she assumes office on July 1. Mr Wambui says the process was marred by a conflict of interest as Ms Ramadhani was allegedly selected by her fellow board members, who she served with until a few days before the recruitment process began.

He said the appointment is a classic demonstration of the breach of the rule of law, tenets of good governance, integrity, transparency and accountability.

“Contrary to the established principles of transparency and accountability, the 2nd Respondent (Kemsa) conducted the sham process with great secrecy and failed to involve the public,” Mr Wambui said.