Is Richard Ngatia of Megascope Health limited among the faces of Afya house cartel also known as the mafya under investigations over stolen donations?
The Kenyan authorities are investigating the disappearance of medical equipment donated to help stop the spread of Covid- 19 according to a latest report by the BBC
The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from the Chinese government included surgical masks, protective suits, isolation gowns and thermometers worth $2m (£1.6m).
An investigation by local TV station KTN News which has already been pulled down , revealed how a private company working with government officials and Chinese businessmen in Kenya, laid claim to the donation when it arrived in the country.
Donation from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma arrived in Nairobi on 24 March
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During the bizarre incident, the company, went on to donate part of the stolen supplies to other Kenyan government ministries.
Kenya has received millions of dollars from countries and organizations around the world to help in the fight against Coronavirus.
Some of the donors include Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and various European nations.
But the government has faced serious questions from Kenyans on how the donations have been used as health workers in the country complain of insufficient protective gear, testing kits and reagents.
Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe has admitted that there are “rogue elements” at the ministry’s headquarters and vowed to bring to justice all the perpetrators.
But Kenyans have reacted angrily online, saying the ministry is no stranger to corruption allegations. It has previously been involved in allegations of misuse of millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money.
The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from the Chinese government included surgical masks, protective suits, isolation gowns and thermometers worth $2m (£1.6m) equivalent to 20 billion Kenya shillings.
Among companies that are under scrutiny include Life Care Medics, whose directors are Richard Ngatia, the current president of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and owner of Galileo Club in Westlands , Eshter Wahito, and Paul Wanderi Ndungu who until December last year was betting firm Sportspesa chairman. Ngatia is known to be President Uhuru Kenyatta’s close ally and campaign fund raiser.
Another member of the cartel is the CEO of Angelica Medical supplies Mary Matu, who insiders concur is fond of throwing the name of the president around and writing malicious letters maligning names of CEOS of Parastatals falling under the ministry of health.
The duo of Ngatia through his firm Megascope and that of Mary Matu of Angelica Medical supplies are so feared in the corridors of Afya House, pharmacy and poisons board and at Keya medical supplies agency where they call the shots.
Ricrad Ngatia is so feared at KEMSA that his mere presence at Kemsa offices in industrial area sends shock waves across the senior management at the agency.
The Health CS has further said those who may be involved in any misuse of the cash will face the sack.
Right into his appointment as Health CS mutahi Kagwe fell right into the hands of cartels led by Richard Ngatia when he was duped into launching CT scan equipment at the Kenyatta national hospital in a public relations gimmick as the covid 19 pandemic hit the country.
But fears abound that Health CS has already fallen into the hands of the cartel and infect inadvertently launched some of the stolen kits at a public ceremony attended by Mr. Ngatia and top ministry officials at T Kenyatta National hospital recently.
Health CS Matah Kagwei(cutting the Ribbon) when he launched the CT scan Covid centre at KNH Accompanied by Megascope boss Richard Ngatia (bacground in blue)
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe unveiled the new advanced computed tomography (CT) scan centre at the Kenyatta National Hospital where it was reported that local medics consulted with their peers in Wuhan, China, in the management of a live case of the disease.
Kagwe said the unit, which has a video conference unit, will be essential in the fight against coronavirus.
China provided the software called GoldenEye, which it has used at home to detect and monitor the progress of Covid-19 patients.
Through the CT scan technology, patients’ images of affected organs, including the lungs in the case of Covid-19, is transmitted digitally for interpretation before a diagnosis is made. Mr Kagwe said with the additional unit, the number of patients going abroad for radiology services will decrease.
“Instead of sending a radiologist in every county, we can have counties send their scans remotely to KNH for interpretation. This way, we can have positive gains in human resource management,” said the CS.
Kenya is the first African country to employ the technology, first developed in Wuhan, China, the epicentre of Covid-19.
The Chinese Embassy and Neusoft, the manufacturer of the CT scan machines, offered the software.
But was interesting to note is that Richard Ngatia hid behind national chambers of commerce and industry to bring in the software.
Questions are now being asked as to when the chamber become a procurement entity in the ministry of health.
Mr. Richard Ngatia said during the launch that the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry sought the software and expected to roll it to interconnect all the 47 counties.
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