A parliamentary probe has uncovered serious financial and governance lapses across Kenya’s public health institutions, raising alarm over the use of taxpayer funds and the safety of vital services.
The National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration, and Agriculture (PIC-SSAA), chaired by Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe, reviewed Auditor-General reports for 2022/2023 and 2023/2024, exposing billions of shillings at risk due to missing assets, procurement irregularities, and weak financial controls.
Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) lost Ksh36 million in rental revenue, even as the board approved a 10 per cent rent increase on aging residential units amid falling income. Auditors also flagged restricted requests for quotations bypassing competitive tendering and questioned framework contract shifts during COVID-19.
At the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), the committee revealed a 2.4-hectare Nairobi land parcel valued over Sh4 billion had been used as collateral without proper authorisation. Sixty-six motor vehicles remain unrecorded, and a Sh143 million mortgage fund lacked Cabinet Secretary approval, breaching the Public Finance Management Act.
The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) faced scrutiny over regulatory gaps, undisclosed property in Machakos, Ksh75 million tied to land without a title deed, and irregular vehicle repair expenses.
PIC-SSAA Vice-Chair Caleb Amisi warned that without urgent reforms, public trust in Kenya’s health sector could erode further. The committee called for strengthened governance, stricter oversight, and accountability to protect public funds and ensure uninterrupted health service delivery.
