NHIF boss Kerich not cleared, says graft body

By Ally Jamah

Nairobi,Kenya-The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has rejected claims that the former CEO of the National Hospital Insurance Fund Richard Kerich has been cleared in a medical scheme probe.

This comes as some MPs said Mr Kerich be reinstated to his former job after being cleared by the Efficiency Monitoring Unit, which probed the outpatient medical scheme for civil servants in which millions of shillings were allegedly paid out irregularly.

But yesterday, EACC vice-chairperson Irene Keino said their own investigation has not yet cleared Kerich, adding that EACC was not privy to Kerich being cleared by any State organ involved in the investigation.

“Several State agencies were conducting investigation independently except for the Criminal Investigation Department, which was jointly conducting the probe with EACC. It is imperative that any clearance of persons in this saga should involve all the investigating agencies,” she said.

Ms Keino said EACC is finalising its investigation that began last May and would forward the relevant files to the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko for action.

 “The commission is in the process of tying the loose ends in the investigation, specifically into those that relate to awards of contracts to Meridian and Clinix Health providers,” she said.

 Abuse of law

And Central Organisation of Trade Unions Secretray General Francis Atwoli said reinstating Kerich would be an absolute abuse of the very rule of  law that the country is trying hard to sustain.

“Kerich cannot be reinstated  based on a single self-serving and skewed report  by EMU and we caution these MPs calling for his return that they must be serious with the issues of public funds. The demands exhibit  the extent of impunity that the MPs can allow as far as the protection of their interests is concerned,” he said.

On Wednesday, MPs Fred Outa (Nyando), Omondi Anyanga (Nyatike), Peris Simam (Eldoret South), and former Makadara MP Rueben Ndolo said EMU had cleared Kerich.