Health Cabinet Mutahi Kagwe drew the wrath of Kenyans on social media after he claimed that it is not in his job description to fight corruption in the graft-ridden ministry.
Speaking in an interview with KTN News on Sunday, September 6, CS Kagwe said his main job was to provide Kenyans with quality health care services.
Kagwe explained that by the time he was appointed to head the Health docket, corruption was already deeply entrenched in the Ministry.
“We have a problem and this problem is not a secret…everybody in Kenya knows what has been going on in the ministry over a long time. The issue of corruption is here and it had entrenched itself within the ministry substantially,” said Kagwe.
He added: “It is one thing to eliminate corruption, and quite another to get the system moving efficiently. It is not enough to fight corruption. My job is not to fight corruption, my job is to provide healthcare. It’s important for that distinction to be clear…that I’m not here to fight corruption. Fighting corruption is a means of giving healthcare, it is a means that justifies the end; which is giving people affordable, efficient and proper healthcare.”
Coming from someone who held promise when he was appointed to the crucial Health ministry early this year, and even went on to earn high acclaim locally and internationally as a ‘Covid-19’ hero and a potential presidential candidate, Mutahi Kagwe’s remarks about corruption left a section of Kenyans on Twitter largely disappointed.
Some called for his resignation, others pointed out that he was just arrogant, while others reminded him that his job is to manage the Health Ministry and fighting corruption is part and parcel of it.
Check out the video below and read some reactions thereafter.
Mutahi Kagwe: My job is not to fight corruption, my job is to provide healthcare. It is important for that distinction to be clear #Checkpoint pic.twitter.com/WFuHXGRftj
— KTN News Alerts (@KTNNewsKE) September 6, 2020
Anasema Nini huyu ?????????…….amefoka Sana na bado haeleweki anamaanisha nini ???
— @Jmarvins001 (@njengajmk) September 6, 2020
Kagwe when it’s time to fight corruption in his ministry. ? pic.twitter.com/remaLASwXJ
— North Star ??? (@I_Am_Mwiti) September 6, 2020
CS Mutahi Kagwe…. pic.twitter.com/V4qYgGGhQn
— SᗯᗩᕼIᒪI~ᑭᑌᑎᗪIT (@YussufMwinyi) September 7, 2020
Your job sir, is NOT to provide healthcare. That’s the job of doctors, nurse and the other professionals. YOUR job is to manage the healthcare docket. And fighting corruption is in that job description.
— Samuel Kinyanjui (@Sakin6085) September 7, 2020
This is rich coming from him. Remember he is yet to set foot in KEMSA and doctors have been complaining about lack of PPE. He is talking only to hear his voice.
— Makuno Matt (@MakunoM) September 6, 2020
His message was simple , pesa imeenda , mtado
— Maina Muriithi (@MainaMuriithi14) September 7, 2020
Lakini hawa watu huwa na arrogance flani ??
— Ken J (@Ke_Jmha) September 7, 2020
Is his job to supervise provision of health in Kenyab? apparently it looks more like his job was to supervise the plunder of Milliions of shillings, sell it somewhere else Kenyans ain’t buying this crap#covidmillionaires #Covid19Millionaires
— The Mzalendo Project (@kiiomgps) September 6, 2020
Hahahaaa the arrogance. It’s like a banker saying my job is to provide banking while the employees empty the bank till ….. Bureee sana
— ג’ון (@yohanthegiant) September 6, 2020
Denial of accountability and total disregard of all internal and external control measures is a sign of incompetence and acceptance of failure.@WehliyeMohamed ,@bkerrow
— Amir Mohamed (@camiiromar) September 7, 2020
You cannot provide healthcare when the corruption is deeply entrenched in the ministry. Just RESIGN
— The African unyielding voice?? (@realmibei) September 6, 2020
God please, give this man sense pic.twitter.com/nexhWJeOSy
— EthEdd (@OkeyoSeith) September 7, 2020
Then Uhuru should be fighting the war against corruption alone which is not gone to last. It is very unfortunate that a whole minister is claiming that his work is not to fight corruption. Shame on him.
— Billowabdi Hassan (@Billow_Abdi) September 7, 2020
If you can’t fight corruption in a ministry that has one of the largest budget ….bolt out
— David Ludogoli (@DLUDOGOLI) September 7, 2020
You can’t make this things up and just the other day ge was potential presidential material ?
— Mwalalo (@bethuelt) September 7, 2020
My question is one and simple to answer; what will he use to provide quality healthcare with all the funds plundered? Huyu ametoka kupiga kinusu ndo akaingia interview. Shallow thinking.
— BeamLover (@mawirajohn) September 6, 2020
This is a strange view of a CS’s JD. Graft can go on as you focus on service delivery. Maajabu
— Tita Ket (@tita_miti) September 6, 2020
But providing healthcare needs protection and right of use of resources. So Mr. CS fighting corruption is tantamount to your role
— Veedub (@VikWambua) September 6, 2020
What kind of buffoonery is this
— #COVID19 (@kenjapala) September 6, 2020
What is this guy saying? That’s enough to get him fired
— shadi (@shadipaul) September 7, 2020
PANTS!
Its like a matatu driver claiming that his vehicle stalling for “lack of fuel” is none of his business. His job is to DRIVE! That “FOCUS” is lame in the least. Managenent and leadership encompasses having a peripheral vision and quite managing the downsides as well
— Byron Adera (@ByronAdera) September 7, 2020
