By Luke Anami and Ally Jamah
Medical Services Minister Anyang’ Nyong’o has defied President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga by recalling suspended National Hospital Insurance Fund chief executive Richard Kerich.
Even before the storm stirred by Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Board that NHIF has gone ahead to accredit 77 unregistered clinics settled it turned out the minister had called Kerich back to office.
This is despite the fact that Parliament returned an inconclusive and unreliable report on the scandal involving the civil servants medical scheme that some members claimed was marred by corruption.
The minister also appeared to jump the gun because he took the action before the probe ordered by President Kibaki was completed. His action effectively sought to end the work of the caretaker committee Raila appointed.
Initially, when the NHIF board suspended Kerich, Nyong’o as the line minister reversed the move. It was only after Raila intervened, that the Medical Services minister acceded to Kerich’s removal.
The minister recalled Kerich to take over from the acting Chief Executive Adan A Adan whose appointment Raila made to facilitate investigations into the scandal.
The order caused confusion as it came in disregard of an order by President Kibaki that investigations be carried out to establish the truth and tough action be taken against the culprits.
Consequently, drama unfolded at NHIF, as Adan, who is a deputy secretary in the Ministry of Medical Services, remained in office even after Nyong’o confirmed he had recalled him to perform his previous duties so that Kerich could return.
But in another strange twist, it emerged the NHIF Caretaker Committee Chairman Mutuma Mugambi had written to Nyong’o complaining about the decision to reinstate Kerich, before investigations Kibaki ordered were concluded.
Legal advice
On Wednesday, while opening a stakeholder’s workshop on universal health insurance cover in a Nairobi hotel, Nyong’o said his reinstatement of the former NHIF CEO was in line with the NHIF Act.
