The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) is spending about Sh45 million monthly paying workers who were sent home in restructuring after the Covid-19 kits scandal.
According to the CEO, Terry Ramadhani, Kemsa has a salary budget of Sh90 million a month for 912 workers, but half of them were sent home and may not be doing anything at all for this critical State firm.
Once they were sent home, the affected workers got a court order that they are paid full salaries for the period they were out of work.
It is commendable that the agency is obeying court orders. However, Kemsa must find more innovative ways to save the taxpayer from the huge burden.
Court battles can take a long time to conclude and, in addition to the millions of shillings spent on salaries, could also derail the reforms at the troubled State agency.
We urge the Kemsa leadership to, among other things, consider an out-of-court settlement with the workers. Running the whole course can be an expensive undertaking for either party, irrespective of the final judgment.
Over to you, Kemsa, even as you obey court orders.
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