BY SHADRACK NYAKOE
At least 29 employees of the County Government of Nairobi died in April after AAR suspended its medical cover.
Waithanka MCA Antony Kiragu said the employees did not die of Covid-19 but due to lack of medical attention after the cover was suspended.
Speaking to the Media on Tuesday outside City Hall, Kiragu said top county officials don’t want to renew the AAR cover that is expiring in 3 months because they want “kickbacks”
Kiragu accused Deputy Governor Anne Kananu , Veska Kangogo (CEC Public Service Management) and her Chief Officer Leboo Ole Morintat of playing games with at least 12,000 employees of the County.
On 9th April, Finance CEC Allan Igambi wrote to the AAR managing director pleading with him to reinstate back the County Medical scheme.
“Enable our desperate and suffering members and their dependents access un-interrupted healthcare services,” Igambi wrote.
The termination was after the county failed to pay medical insurance premiums of kshs 259,940,288.
AAR was awarded tender number NCC/HRM/T/431/2019/2020 to offer Comprehensive Medical Insurance Cover for Nairobi City County Government for financial year 2020-2021.
On 9th April 2021, City Hall had outstanding premiums of shs 530,002,470 to be paid to AAR.
“It is regrettable that there was an unexpected delay in the settlement of medical Insurance premium occasioned by the late passage of the supplementary budget for financial year 2020/2021 by the County Assembly,” Igambi said.
He added that the initial payment of kshs 325,000,000 was settled on 11th January 2021 in line with the approved budget for that period and compliance with the provisions of the duly executed contract.
“The second tranche of kshs 270,062,182 was paid yesterday leaving an outstanding balance of kshs 259,940,288” Igambi said.
He said the County was committed to settle the balance of kshs 259,940,288 on or before Friday 23rd April 2021.
Kiragu said the cash hasn’t been paid and AAR is yet to restore the cover.
“They are spreading a narrative that people are dying of Covid-19, that’s false, they died because they couldn’t access medical care,” Waithaka MCA Antony Kiragu insisted.