By Ramadhan Rajab

The new board of management at Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) has been sworn-in amid claims of foul play.

Former board chairman, Dr Joel Achiba, alleged their dismissal was meant to scuttle their efforts to appoint a new CEO and tracking stolen money.

Achiba who spoke to The Standard accompanied by a former board member, Mr Richard Birir, said they were ejected on the day they presented a list of three names to Public Health and Sanitation Minister Beth Mugo, as possible replacement for sacked CEO Davy Koech.

"Why is it that just the day we presented the list, the minister called a press briefing and dismissed us. Maybe the three did not sound ethnically correct to her," Achiba said.

But Mrs Mugo said it was Government prerogative to dismiss and appoint board members to State corporations.

The ejected members also raised concerns over the new board terming it an "effort to rewarding cronies and recycling old guard to meet ethnic ends."

"On that I cannot comment now. There are many forums to talk about that," Mugo said on the claims of ethnicity.

Achiba claimed four members of the new board came from one community.

"We don’t doubt their abilities but Kemri is for Kenya and it follows that it should reflect the whole country at its management," said Birir.

The new board has Sopiato Likimani (chairman), Prof Ruth Ndwati, Dr Samuel Sinei, Dr Peter Omboga, Prof Norah Olembo, Dr Edwin Muinga and Prof Samuel Guthua.

The former board members claimed it was to return Prof Kimumbu Thairu, whereas he had served as the first Chair.

"We were accused of being redundant and old. Then what new blood is Thairu?" Achiba asked.

Contrary to the minister’s statement during the dissolution of the board on March 9 that the board had failed to "determine and approve management plans, contracts and the institute’s strategic plans," audit and Government evaluation reports indicate the board had a strategic plan for 2005 to 2015.

Interestingly, a statement read on Monday by acting director, Dr Monique Wasunna during the inauguration at Kemri headquarters, acknowledges the efforts of the previous board.

"I sincerely thank the outgoing board for the excellent oversight role during the last one and-a half years I worked with them," she said.