By Ben Agina

A fresh storm is casting a long shadow on the credibility of National Hospital Insurance Fund caretaker committee, even as Cabinet plans to extend its term to December.

Having taken over from the suspended management team led by Richard Kerich and board chairman Richard Muga, which was also kicked out over the multi-million shilling controversial civil servants medical scheme, it was expected the new team would operate above board.

But the emerging facts from the troubled NHIF, whose head Medical Services Minister Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o wanted reinstated

Team is the fact that the acting Chief Executive Adan A Adan, recommended the employment of his wife after landing at NHIF, and signed an approval form to that effect.

Adan, who has been in the office for hardly three months, recommended the hiring of his wife, Habib Ali Maalim, together with other people believed to be his relatives.  He signed the formal forms for approval, even suggesting her grade and placement in the Fund.

Adan heads the caretaker committee, which is in contempt of a High Court order, and which was expected to hold its last board meeting on Wednesday.

 On Wednesday, when confronted with the facts on the documents in hands of The Standard, Adan confirmed Habib was his wife, but argued her name was struck off the list of those to be recruited because of her link to him.

It is, however, curious that though he was the signatory of the approval letter, and predictably even took part in the earlier process of recruitment and even suggested she be taken on job grade HF6, he did not seem to have declared beforehand their relationship.

Struck off list

“Yes, Habib is my wife. She is a qualified senior nurse. We cancelled her name when we discovered her name was in the list,” said Adan. But he did not explain how her name got on the final list bearing his signature, and at the number one position.

Assuming Habib did not get her appointment letter as her husband claims, she was to be recruited as Quality Assurance Officer 1, Job Group (HF6), and to be based at NHIF offices in Ruaraka.

On the same letter dated June 26, signed by Adan, there were further handwritten instructions to the manager, human resource, directing, “Kindly approve placement above HF6 the officer is a CPK finalist”.

Other sources at NHIF claim newly employed Adan’s relatives are Abdirashid Adan Ali (accountant HF7), to be based in Eldoret, and Abdikadir I Adan, Inspector 11 (HF7), to be stationed in Embu.

He however, denied having any relations with Abdirashid and Abdikadir, and dismissed claims they could be members of his family.

When contacted an angry Adan wondered why we are only zeroing in on one community, Somali, and yet there were others from other regions also earmarked for recruitment.

“Aren’t the Somalis qualified for these jobs? Why are you not mentioning the rest,” retorted Adan.

Apart from Habib, others who were to be recruited following Adan’s instructions were Constatine Oile, Margaret Wanjiru Kirima, Ahmed Kher Abdi, Ann Njeri Mukuri, Yusuf Ali Shire, and Grace Wairimu Kang’ethe.

Sources in NHIF did not, however, raise any issue with this batch of appointments.

When contacted about the latest development, Medical Services Minister Anyang’ Nyong’o declined to comment.

“Please leave me out of this,’’ pleaded Nyong’o, who was in the eye of the storm over the Sh4.6 billion controversial health insurance scheme awarded to Meridian and Clinix heath providers. The award has since been suspended after it turned out they were not given on competitive basis, and some of the clinics listed were not even in existence.

Single sourcing

In yet another instance, Adan approved the single sourcing of a Sh3.7 million advertisement to appear in the USA Today magazine, without going through the normal procurement procedures.

The Manager, Marketing Communication, Bella Omino, wrote a letter dated June 15 to the chief executive informing him of an interview he (Adan) had with United World Ltd of London  – a company that was to facilitate placement of the advert.

“The advert and the write-up would also be given a link on their website so as to reach Kenyans in the Diaspora to inform them of the role of NHIF and how they can contribute towards boosting NHIF,” said Bella

She added that as NHIF also works toward achieving Universal Healthcare, it is important that the Fund communicates its achievements to Kenyans in the Diaspora.

 “USA Today is a widely read newspaper and will give us the right platform for showcasing our role in meeting Vision 2030,” said Bella, seeking to justify the choice of advertiser.

Normal procurement

On June 19, United World Ltd invoiced NHIF US$43,600 (Sh3.7 million) for placement of a quarter page advert. But the General manager Finance and Control, Pamela Marendi, questioned why the United World was being awarded the tender without going through the normal procurement procedures.

“Kindly note that direct procurement method is only allowed as long as the purpose is not to avoid competition,” said Marendi, in a letter addressed to manager, procurement and supplies.

She noted that the procedure for using direct procurement method as per Regulation 62 (2-3) of the procurement law, the procuring entity is supposed to record the reasons for direct procurement and the method be approved by the tender committee before sourcing for goods or services.

However, Adan had on June 19, personally approved the single sourcing by signing the official request from Omino. “We principally accepted the offer because this would have put Kenya in the world map. The cost, however, was too much and it remains cancelled,’’ Adan explained in an interview before asking: “But who gave you this information?” 

Affordable health

On May 19, President Kibaki demanded a speedy probe into the NHIF scam and promised tough action on those found to have mishandled or misappropriated the funds meant for the scheme.

He also warned the alleged scandal was likely to frustrate Government drive to provide affordable and universal health care.

 “We must never compromise the health of our citizens because of greed and schemes meant to put money in the pockets of people, who have no capacity to deliver health services,” said Kibaki.

Last month Justice Weldon Korir ruled the NHIF Act was not followed in the appointment of the new team, but the AG appealed the ruling.

The Judge noted that Section 4(1) of NHIF Act stating how the board should be appointed was not followed. Kenya Medical Association filed the case.