Eat and Go Home, Sick NHIF Has a New Boss

The mess at the National Hospital Insurance Fund has got a new caretaker tasked with cleaning it. Days after former CEO Geoffrey Mwangi was arrested and charged with conspiracy to defeat justice, NHIF’s board has now seen it fit to appoint Mr. Nicodemus Odongo as acting chief executive officer.

“The Board of Management of National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) has unanimously resolved to send the current Chief Executive Officer Mr. Geoffrey Mwangi and The Acting Director, Finance and Investments Mr. Wilbert Kurgat on compulsory leave pending the consideration of the Public Officer’s case under the Public Service Commission Act, No. 10 of 2017,” a statement sent to newsrooms on Wednesday reads.

Kurgat has also been replaced with Mr. Benard Njenga who is currently holding the position of Manager, Management Accounting.

On Tuesday, a Nairobi court rejected an application to block their prosecution over alleged misappropriation of funds at the corporation.

The two embattled NHIF bosses are also accused of failing to comply with a court order requiring them to produce any documents required by investigators who are probing alleged misappropriation of funds at the corporation.

Appearing before Nairobi Chief Magistrate Francis Andayi, Mwangi and Kurgat were charged with conspiracy to defeat justice by knowingly preventing the execution of a court order and disobedience of lawful orders contrary to the law.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

“Between September 26, 2018 and November 23, 2018 at the NHIF headquarters along Ragati Road, Upperhill within Nairobi jointly conspired to defeat the course of justice by knowingly preventing the execution of a court order issued by Resident Magistrate Sinkiyan Tobiko on September 25, 2018 requiring production for scrutiny of any books or books of evidential value in connection with investigations being undertaken by Chief Inspector Nephat Marubi of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters,” reads the charge sheet.

Will the mess at the NHIF finally be resolved?

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