Do not allow cartels to turn Ebola into cash cow

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At the height of the coronavirus pandemic, as infections skyrocketed and the daily death toll rose, reports emerged that some Kenyans were lining their pockets with money meant to fight the virus.

Back then, the country received billions of shillings in donor aid and grants to tackle the pandemic, but, in their characteristic way, Kenyan tenderpreneurs saw a perfect get-rich-quick opportunity. It is no secret that millions of shillings ended up in individuals’ pockets, some of whom plundered the money through companies set up a few weeks after the outbreak.

They became ‘Covid-millionaires’ at the expense of Kenya’s hardworking medical workers who were forced to the frontlines of the battle against the pandemic with barely enough personal protective equipment and other critical supplies, exposing them and patients to danger and premature deaths.

This week, the government announced the first death from Ebola, raising fears of a full-blown outbreak and, once again, creating a window for rogue elements in government and the business world to mint millions from Kenya’s misery.

The government has already said that it will mobilise a Sh70 billion Ebola response fund, and the National Treasury has set aside Sh2.6 billion for emergency response. The US has also announced a Sh1.2 billion donation to support Kenya’s anti-Ebola efforts.

This must be music to perennial vultures that are quick to swoop in to steal from even life-and-death situations.  They will strike again if all relevant agencies do not heighten vigilance. 

The Kenya Medical Supplies Agency and other procurement agencies must resist the temptation to engage in sleaze while dealing with Ebola funds. The anti-corruption agency, the DCI, must take on cartels, including those run behind the scenes by senior political figures, to turn a serious medical crisis into a cash cow. Corruption is evil, but there is no appropriate word to describe it when people steal funds that are meant to keep Kenyans alive and healthy.

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