MPs want former NHIF boss, staff arrested over loss of public funds

Former NHIF boss Geoffrey Mwangi at a Milimani court on January 23, 2023. [File, Standard] Lawmakers are now calling for the prosecution of officials of the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). While considering a report of the National Assembly's Public Investment Committee on Social Services and Agriculture, MPs said the officials, including the former Chief Executive Officer Geoffrey Mwangi, should be held accountable for the loss of public funds. "There's a car park built at community next to NHIF tower, one that is reported to have cost 337 per cent of its original cost. This is not only illegal but criminal. There is no way this house can sit and adopt reports and nothing is ever done. Those officers at NHIF who varied a contract to 337 percent, the DCI and EACC should take action against specific officers at the defunct NHIF. Otherwise, we normalize corruption and normalize theft and it will become easy for people to pilfer public resources and walk away scot-free," said Leader of the Majority Party Kimani Ichung'wah. The lawmaker claimed that Mwangi had now set his sights on elective politics bolstered by pilfered funds. "You can see the former CEO of NHIF is all over pretending to be running for a governor's seat. How can you be running for governorship in Nakuru county on pilfered funds? We must not use elective public office to clean people who have pilfered funds. This House, through the committee of implementation, must make sure that Jeff Mwangi answers to the outright theft of public resources," he said. His Homa Bay Town colleague Peter Kaluma said the car park in question was supposed to take up Sh970 million, but the contract price rose to Sh3.9 billion. "The contractors and people who were in charge of the funds are still walking free out here and some intent to run for public office, yet we've had instances where Kenyans were unable to access healthcare." He noted that despite the inflated cost, the project is at 20 per cent completion. "These are people who should be in jail. The chairperson ought to have recommended immediate arrest of the officials by EACC." The issue of the billions owed to suppliers in pending bills by NHIF was discussed. Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo advocated for a slash in funding for institutions found to be mismanaging public money. "Some of these departments that are grossly mismanaging public resources should suffer the consequence of budget cuts because otherwise they feel nothing." Kaluma also came to the defense of SHA, which has had mixed reviews across the country "People have been saying that NHIF was better because SHA is not working... When things are working, let us say that they are working. When there are teething issues let us address them. But to those who keep saying let's go back to NHIF, you see why," said the MP. Suba South MP Caroli Omondi called for criminal liability for those who violate national values and the Constitution. "Our public accounts and investigative committees should emphasize this breach so that public servants who conspire to pilfer public resources are held liable. In future, the reports should single out individuals who have shirked their duties so they can be dealt with," he said. The committee chairperson, Emannuel Wangwe, backed the calls. The committee is expected to either adopt or reject the report today.

MPs want former NHIF boss, staff arrested over loss of public funds

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