Corona probe: Uhuru 21-day ultimatum lapses with no report

President Uhuru Kenyatta's 21-day ultimatum to the anti-graft agency to unmask faces behind the alleged fraudulent purchase of Covid-19 medical equipment elapsed on Wednesday with no word on the status of the investigations.

On August 27, President Kenyatta gave the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) a deadline to complete a probe into a scandal where individuals connected to the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) are said to have pocketed millions of shillings in suspect medical supply deals.

With no word on the fate of the inquiry that is said to target politicians from both the ruling Jubilee party and the opposition, our inquiries were stonewalled.

A source at the EACC only said that investigations are ongoing. "The report will be presented to the relevant authorities."

The President had also directed the Health ministry to publish details of all purchases made as the coronavirus diseases raged after claims that government officials stole funds meant to mitigate the pandemic.

"Following the allegations of impropriety at Kemsa, the relevant investigative agencies of our country are currently fully seized with the matter. However, given the compelling public interest in the matter, the relevant agencies should expedite their ongoing investigations and conclude the same within 21 days from the date hereof."

He added: "All persons found to be culpable from the ongoing investigations on Covid-19 funds should be brought to book notwithstanding their social status or political affiliations."

The directive came amid a hue and cry that influential people had lined their pockets with government and donor money at a time the country was struggling to bring the disease under control.

Uhuru’s directive was also expected to get to the bottom of reports of alleged theft of supplies of personal protective equipment donated by Chinese billionaire and Alibaba founder Jack Ma.