Susan Nakhumicha Addresses Allegations in KEMSA Tender Scandal During Parliamentary Vetting

Former Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha addressed allegations about her tenure and the Ksh.3.7 billion Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) tender during an interview, on 7th April 2025, Nakhumicha, now nominated as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the UN-Habitat, firmly denied knowing about former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s alleged role in the tender scandal until his impeachment in October 2024.

The KEMSA tender involved mosquito net procurement. Accusations claimed Gachagua abused his executive powers to favor companies linked to his sons. Nakhumicha told the National Assembly’s Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations Committee that no evidence of Gachagua’s involvement came to her attention during her time as Health CS. She only learned of the allegations during the impeachment process, which followed her dismissal from the Cabinet.

“With the information I had, his involvement was not evident. I learned about it during the House’s impeachment process. That’s when I realized he might have been involved,” Nakhumicha explained to the committee.

As Health CS, Nakhumicha focused on pressing challenges, including a 56-day doctors’ strike. She described it as one of the toughest periods of her career. While admitting delays in resolving the strike, she expressed her commitment to tackling future challenges in her new role.

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has consistently denied the allegations. He called them baseless and politically motivated. He argued that investigations cleared the implicated officials and dismissed claims of his involvement as unfounded.

The KEMSA tender scandal has faced intense public and parliamentary scrutiny. Concerns arose over procurement irregularities and alleged favoritism. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) investigated and found attempts to alter tender specifications to benefit specific companies. These findings led the Global Fund to cancel the tender, citing non-compliance with procurement standards.

By Grace Githinji