Kenya’s fight against corruption has once again been drawn to the health sector, where an investigation is now centered on Kenyatta National Hospital and a tender worth over Sh433 million.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has opened a file that focuses on former hospital chief executive officer Dr. Evanson Kamuri and several senior officials from the Ministry of Health.
At the heart of the matter is a failed oxygen plant project that was supposed to change service delivery at the country’s top referral hospital but instead became a source of financial loss and frustration.
The tender was given to Biomax Africa Limited a few years ago with the promise of constructing an oxygen generation plant capable of producing 8,000 liters of oxygen per minute.
The facility was expected to be operational in six months, but that never happened.
Instead, delays and irregularities piled up, leaving the hospital to depend on outside suppliers. Since 2022, KNH has spent more than Sh565 million buying oxygen from other sources, draining resources that could have been directed to other critical services for patients.
Dr. Kamuri, who was suspended after the matter escalated, has been directly linked to the case.
The EACC froze over Sh48 million in his bank accounts and also flagged properties tied to him in Nairobi, Kirinyaga, and Kajiado. He has defended his role, insisting that the Ministry of Health carried the bigger responsibility and even pointing to letters he wrote in 2024 to the then Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai highlighting the challenges.
In a December 2024 board meeting, Kamuri declined to sign a report on the tender, arguing that the hospital’s board lacked the authority to conduct such a probe.
The investigation does not stop with him. Former Health PS Susan Mochache is among those recommended for prosecution, with accusations that she failed to ensure due diligence during the evaluation process.
Biomax Africa and its director, Leonard Muriuki Njeru, are also on the list. According to the EACC, the company used forged documents, including fake KEBS quality marks and false insurance performance bonds.
Even its claims of previous work in Machakos County were shown to be misleading, as the equipment there came from a different program entirely.
Further scrutiny showed more fraudulent practices. A CV belonging to an individual named David Maitinio Mathaga was used without his knowledge, while another staff credential, a degree certificate for Pius Mbiti Gitonga, turned out to be fake after JKUAT confirmed it was not issued by them.
Equipment delivered also failed to match the specifications approved, worsening the delays.
At one point, oxygen deliveries were recorded as being received by someone not employed by KNH, with no security footage or clear evidence of the supplies.
Even the KNH board was drawn into questions when its chair, Samier Muravvej, admitted to having had past business dealings with Biomax’s director.
He denied any conflict of interest, and the board agreed, but the revelation raised concerns during reviews.
The EACC began its probe after a complaint in May 2024, uncovering these irregularities and eventually submitting its report to the Director of Public Prosecutions in June 2025.
The DPP is still reviewing the file, and no charges have been officially filed yet. In the meantime, KNH continues to operate without the promised plant, spending large sums on outsourced oxygen.
This case is more than just about money lost. It exposes how weak oversight in procurement can undermine critical health services in a hospital that thousands of Kenyans depend on every day.
It also places a spotlight on senior figures like Dr. Kamuri, who once held significant responsibility in the health sector but must now account for decisions made under his leadership.
The scandal stands as another reminder of the urgent need to seal loopholes in government contracts and ensure public resources are protected from misuse.
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