Nairobi, Kenya, Jan 14 – Agriculture Cabinet Secretary nominee Mutahi Kagwe has denied allegations that he banned the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in 2021 for political reasons during his tenure as the Health Cabinet Secretary.
Kagwe faced scrutiny from Members of Parliament during his vetting by the National Assembly Committee on Appointments.
The MPs questioned claims that the vaccine was banned shortly after then-Deputy President William Ruto publicly received a dose of the Russian vaccine.
Ruto, at the time, was considered an outsider within the government of former President Uhuru Kenyatta due to the political fallout following the handshake between Kenyatta and Opposition Leader Raila Odinga.
The Agriculture nominee refuted the allegations, asserting that the government strictly adhered to vaccine guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO), which had not approved Sputnik V.
“The only approvals we recognized as the national executive were those issued by the World Health Organization,” Kagwe stated.
North Imenti MP Abdul Rahim questioned Kagwe, suggesting without evidence that political interference influenced the vaccine’s ban.
“There is no way the vaccine could have entered the country without some form of approval. It was authorized by the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU), and 230 doses were administered as part of a private initiative. However, politics edged it out,” Rahim remarked.
National Assembly Minority Leader Junet Mohammed dismissed Kagwe’s explanation, alleging political motives behind the ban.
“The vaccine arrived in Kenya with government approval and was administered to many people, including the current President. But when the then-Deputy President received it, the government stopped it. Let’s be honest with each other!” Mohammed exclaimed.
Committee on Appointment Chairman Moses Wetang’ula questioned how the Sputnik V vaccine entered the country and was administered if it was disapproved under WHO guidelines.
“If that was the case, how did Sputnik V get into Kenya and find its way to Kenyans, including the then-Deputy President, before it was stopped?” Wetang’ula asked.
Kagwe was unable to clarify how the vaccine entered the country despite WHO’s disapproval. Instead, he reiterated that only WHO-approved vaccines were used.
“Whether a vaccine arrives in the country or not, if it hasn’t been approved by WHO, we cannot use it, and we didn’t use it. I rest my case,” Kagwe said.
He also disputed the number of doses administered, saying, “I don’t recall the exact figures, but it wasn’t anywhere near the numbers you’ve mentioned. As the Ministry of Health, our decision was not to use any vaccine that hadn’t been approved by WHO.”
Suna East MP Junet Mohammed pressed further, questioning the timing of the ban.
“Many people were desperately seeking vaccines at the time. On the same day the then-Deputy President received the Sputnik V jab publicly, a statement was issued in the evening banning the vaccine. Why?” Mohammed asked.
In response, Kagwe said, “I cannot recall the exact sequence of events, but I stand by my statement that we only used vaccines approved by WHO.”
The Sputnik V vaccine produced by Russia.During the Corona Virus pandemic.A foreign firm had imported thousands of Russia’s Sputnik vaccine for Covid-19. The vaccine was already in use before it was banned by the Ministry of Health.
The companies imported 75,000 doses and charged at least Sh7,700 for a single shot before the ban was effected on Friday, April 2 2021.
PPB had approved the vaccine for emergency use, the health of ministry later saying the vaccine had not been granted marketing approval.
Source: capitalfm
