#nhif

Historian Sana Aiyar in her work on the Indian diaspora in Kenya notes that by the time Kenya became an independent nation, 2 per cent of the country’s population was composed of Indians who were part of the retail, wholesale and manufacturing sectors and provided skilled labour. Further, she notes that 30 per cent of Nairobi’s population was Indian. However, the strongly visible presence of Indians in Kenya is complicated by the racial and economic position of the community in the country. Immigrants to the East African republic from India, particularly from Gujarat, had started coming in since the 17th century. The advent of colonial rule expanded business opportunities for Indians from other parts of the subcontinent as well. For instance, a large number of Punjabis provided labour for constructing the railways. Further, Indians were also required for serve in the British Army in East Africa. While several Indians came back after the termination of their contracts, several stayed on there working as masons, mechanics and carpenters.

By the early 20th century, a fresh inflow of Indians made their way into Kenya who emerged as the petty bourgeois class, serving semi-skilled labour to Europeans, Indians and Africans. Colonial administration in Kenya, like in India, was based on categorization along racial, religious and ethnic lines. Consequently, a racial pyramid like structure evolved in the administrative set up, with Europeans right on the top with exclusive access to the fertile highlands, Indians in the middle, working as traders and Africans forming the bottommost rung. As noted by Aiyar, Africans were expected to fulfil dual roles. On the one hand they had to make European farms profitable and on the other hand, they were expected to cultivate their own lands and sell the surplus to the shops run by Indians.

By the mid twentieth century, when anti-colonial movements took roots in India, the same ideologies of freedom and equality were carried by the immigrants to Kenya. Thereafter, Indians in Kenya started agitating for racial equality. The intermingling of Indian and African nationalist politics has been the subject of research for several historians. An interesting aspect of the relation between the two colonized communities however, is that while on one hand the two could relate to each other in terms of the shared dream of independence, on another hand there is sufficient evidence of conflict between the two communities on account of the racial hierarchy that existed. As a result, despite the contribution made by the Indian diaspora to Kenyan demands for independence, the community had continued to be relatively invisible in the official historical records of Kenya.

The latest move by the Kenyan government to recognize Indians in Kenya as a tribe is move that is expected to correct this invisibility and make an official note of the efforts to achieve nationhood and development that the Indian community has shared with the other Kenyan tribes historically.

Some popular Indian origin Kenyans are:

Pio Gama Pinto – He was a journalist, politician, and freedom fighter. This socialist leader devoted his life to liberate Kenyan people from post-colonial dictatorship. Pio Gama Pinto was killed due to his outspoken way of living and became independent Kenya’s first martyr in 1965.

Makhan Singh – This Punjabi was the pioneer of trade unionism in Kenya. In 1927, he moved with his family to Nairobi from Punjab at a tender age of 13. Later in 1935, he formed the first trade union in Kenya and was quite active in the Ghadr/Kirti Party that struggled for Kenyan independence. In 1949, he together with Fred Kubai, a Kenyan, formed the East African Trade Union.

A R Kapila – Born in 1926, Aachhroo Ram Kapila was a prominent criminal lawyer of Kenyan Asian background. He is remembered in Kenya for his role in fighting for the rights and compensations of the Mau Mau Freedom Fighters during their independence struggle.

Fitz de Souza – He was a Kenyan Indian lawyer, who became a member of Parliament, and later deputy speaker of the Kenyan parliament.

Shakeel Shabbir – He is the current Member of Parliament for Kisumu, a large city in Kenya. Although he has an Indian lineage, he was elected to the parliament by indigenous Kenyans, which shows that he is accepted irrespective of his origins

Jayesh Saini - Health care consultant, Leads key pharmaceutical companies and healthcare (Bliss Healthcare, Nairobi West Hospital, Dinlas Pharmaceuticals)

Manilal Premchand Chandaria- Kenyan businessman of Indian descent born in Nairobi. Along with being a senior member of the Comcraft Group of Companies, a billion dollar enterprise that has a presence in over 40 countries,[2][3] he is on the boards of several prominent East African companies. He has won several awards in East Africa and internationally in recognition of his entrepreneurial endeavours and is also a noted philanthropist.

Developing countries, especially African countries are going through a very tough stage in terms of availability of the Vaccine doses. As most of them doesn’t have indigenous facilities to produce vaccines, it is becoming disastrous in terms of economic and health stability.

The present vaccination statistics shows Israel at the top of the chart with around 116 dosesper 100 persons. And they have now almost declared a non-mask life inside their country.

The below chart shows the situation of developing African countries (Source- Financial Times).

https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-vaccine-tracker/?areas=gbr&areas=isr&areas=usa&areas=eue&cumulative=1&populationAdjusted=1

See the position of Kenya which is 121 with just 1.6 vaccines per 100 persons.

Another disastrous fact is that most of these countries were planning to have dosages from India where the worst wave is hitting (around 400,000 cases and 4,000 deaths per day). India is 71st in this chart with only 11.2 vaccinations per 100.

It will be a full catastrophe if the second wave is hitting these countries where the economic situation is in the worst condition unlike countries like India.

Amidst this critical situation, Kenya is having a very uncommon situation whereas some dosages of Sputnik Vaccines are available in the Country, but not able to administer because of some political games (In fact, they ordered to re-export these vaccines, damn!!!!).

Hope the Authorities of all African Countries will consider the matters seriously and value the lives of their people over the silly political games and mere egos.

Through the infamous path trudged by the honorable CS Mutahi Kagwe.

Our great cabinet secretary for health, Mutahi Kagwe’s journey is filled with scandals, corruptions, controversies and deceit.

Although the obstacles and challenges before him are numerous, if there is money involved, there is Kagwe to fill in his pockets. Because that’s the kag ‘way’. And if there is a will, there is a Kag ’way’.

The first covid-19 case was reported in Kenya on March 12th of 2020. But little did we know that we’ve already been infected with an even more deadlier virus in February.

On February 28 2020, Kagwe was appointed cabinet secretary for health and we were doomed.

When covid-19 struck Kenya, Kagwe went straight into action. Well, not the kind of action that one would expect. Where everybody saw catastrophe, Kagwe saw an opportunity, an opportunity for corruption.

Kenya was donated 1.3bn shillings by the world bank for dealing with the corona virus pandemic. Enter Kagwe, and money went Houdini.

The breakdown of the money spent was reported by Kagwe as follows,

42m Ksh to lease ambulances

4m on snacks and Tea

2m for mobile phone airtime

And 70m on Communication

It was reported that 15 ambulances were leased, At least we Kenyans were not dumb enough as Kagwe and asked “Why lease 15 ambulances at that amount instead of just purchasing new ambulances or using the existing fleet”?

But the real question is, was Kagwe dumb or was he acting dumb to use light fingers and slip the money into his own pockets?

And what was the motive behind allocating 2m shillings for mobile phone airtime when telecommunications company Safaricom had offered officials involved in the fight against the virus a free package?

And if that wasn’t enough, why was there a need to allocate 70m Ksh for communication when media houses had already contributed to airtime for coronavirus-related news updates?

Alas, only Kagwe knows the answers to these ‘WHYs’, Because that’s the Kag ‘way’.

Subsequently, all of this went on to be branded under the hashtag moneyheist.

While the world watched the popular Netflix show Money Heist season 4 which aired on April 2020, in which the despicable character ‘Gandía’ killed one of the main protagonists ‘Nairobi’. Ironically, Kenyans saw Kagwe killing off not just Nairobi but the whole of Kenya health sector, bit by bit.

This was, of course, a foreshadow of the events that was about to occur.

A more of a same thing happened during the KEMSA scandal.

KEMSA was litigated over the allegations on government officials and businessmen of mugging the $400m of public money meant for medical equipment to be used the fight against coronavirus.

The medical staff dealing with coronavirus patients in the frontline, complained about the quality of supplies, with some posting images online of defective personal protective equipment sent to emergency rooms across the country.

It was also found that PPE supplies donated by Chinese billionaire and Alibaba founder Jack went missing and had not reached Kenya, instead it was diverted in Ethiopia and had reached Addis Ababa.

When everything was said and done, the blame was on Jonah Manjari, the CEO of KEMSA.

But later, Manjari came an unfolded the events behind the screen. he claimed that he was under pressure by Kagwe to agree on contracts in which the prices charged by the suppliers were higher than what was in the markets.

Kagwe however, showed his true colors, shook off the dirt on his shirt and turned the coat on KEMSA and Manjari by saying “I have never been to KEMSA”. Because that’s the Kag‘way’ of eluding scandals.

When vaccines became the need of the hour in Kenya as much as in the rest of the world, private sales of vaccines were banned, Kagwe claimed that this would create confusion and could prove to be dangerous.

But when the shortage of vaccines affected Kenya, Kagwe was looking up to the skies. He clearly banned a vaccine which was had a more efficacy rate over the current vaccine shots administered in Kenya. and, if that wasn’t bad enough. The supply of the AstraZeneca vaccines has slowed down.

Irungu Kang’ata, the senator for Maranga County, and the former Senate Majority Chief Whip, pointed out that we wouldn’t be having this vaccine crisis if Ministry of Health, under the leadership of Kagwe, hadn’t banned private sales of vaccines. He added that these vaccines were clinically proven safe for use and had better efficacy rates, stating that it was illogical to ban the private sales.

But doing the illogical things is part of the kag’way’ of doing things.

And now, quite recently, Kagwe has come out with his new plans to set up vaccine manufacturing plants in Kenya.

Which is, of-course good plan, but the man who’s going to carry out that plan cannot be trusted.

For all we know, all our taxes and funds will be going towards setting up vaccine production plants, or so it would seem, when actually, the money is going towards Kagwe’s pockets and a year later he would come and announce like a little child that his science experiment had failed and the money was lost.

Because that’s the Kag’way’ of making things happen.

It’s high time we smoke Kagwe out of the health ministry because he has infected the health sector in Kenya for his personal motives.

Why not SPUTNIK in Kenya- who is stopping it?

It has been clearer than ever before that we Kenyans are no more going to be benefitted by India with free jabs for COVID-19 when they face scarcity of vaccines themselves.

India has become the 60th country to approve use of Russia’s SPUTNIK vaccine despite being a mass producer of vaccines themselves.

Why is Kenya’s stance so glaringly different on SPUTNIK vaccine? Here is why.

Before we dig any deeper, let us recollect the whole SPUTNIK matter.

Kenya received limited quantity of free vaccines (PRIMARY) from Indian (AstraZeneca) as part of WHO’s effort to make vaccines available to third world countries as well. The Kenyan government also approved a private firm to import SPUTNIK V as EMERGENCY vaccine.

Currently, the primary vaccine has run out and now the government who once approved SPUTNIK as emergency vaccine has placed a ban on usage in the country and hence the firm is preparing to reexport the same.

DO WE HAVE A PLAN-B? Sadly NO. The world has run out of vaccines.

Why is Kenya making such a folly? Quite simply, we Kenyans are dragged into false propaganda instigated by health care cartels who are stiff rivals to the firm who imported the vaccine. It is sad but true, these cartels have chosen to fight against the other with no regard for the Kenyan lives.

This is also fueled by vested interest of small-time bloggers whose paycheck depends on the quality of mud-slinging done on social media to the one who imported the vaccine.

India has been Kenya’s life saver in supplying AstraZeneca manufactured from Serum Institute of India for the first doze. Now the heavily populated country is itself facing a crisis of having severely been affected with the third wave of Coronavirus, thereby restricting exports to other nations.

Kenya now faces a halt in the administration of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to delays in the supply chain system. The initial plan was to reach 500,000 people with two doses of the 1.02 million doses received from the Covax facility on March 3, but plans were changed to reach at least one million people in the hope that the second consignment of the vaccine would be received in April to facilitate the second dosage.

This crisis will force Kenya to relook at the strategy they adopted with immediate effect in terms of banning import and distribution of vaccines by private companies. There has been a public outcry in the cost of these vaccines that have been imported; however, the cost of logistics has been unaccounted for. Nevertheless, Kenyan government; with increase in covid positive cases and no quick solution in the forefront must lift the ban to allow private companies to import and distribute these vaccines and streamline the entire process.

Since its origin in 1796, Vaccines are widely opposed by some despite of its great contributions towards eradication of contagious or other deadly diseases.

The smallpox vaccine was the first vaccine to be developed against a contagious disease. In 1796, the British doctor Edward Jenner demonstrated that an infection with the relatively mild cowpox virus conferred immunity against the deadly smallpox virus. Cowpox served as a natural vaccine until the modern smallpox vaccine emerged in the 19th century. The term vaccine derives from the Latin word for cow, reflecting the origins of smallpox vaccination.

Amongst the vaccine haters, there were literates, illiterates and even some medical practitioners. The reasons for the oppose are sometimes religious or lack of sterilized procedures, otherwise pure business or political. However, modern education has provided notable contribution in changing the mentality of common man favorable to Vaccines.

But, in this modern era too, there are some people who thinks that Vaccine is nothing but business. Agreeing the fact that there are some business in the Vaccine production like any other medicine in the world, denial of the same would be dangerous not only to the individual, but also to the society.

WHO quotes a recent study from the Indian State of Kerala (most literate state in India which is close to 100%) reported by Indian Medical Association (IMA) who are their counter partner in the Country. In one of the district, some people started a campaign against routine Vaccines for kids in the name of religious and traditional reasons. As a result, in the year of 2019, around 50 diphtheria cases were reported (first after some 30 years) among many were passed away. The district and state medical authorities had taken strict action against this and some of the “hate speakers” were put behind the bars.

In this very critical hour of Covid-19 spread also, there are some people who think against Vaccines. Dr. Stephen Karanja who was the chairman of Kenya Catholic Doctors Association, was the strongest face of those haters in Kenya. He advocated steam inhalation and hydroxychloroquine tablets and preached against the safety of Covid Jabs which in turn was rejected by the WHO. "[The vaccine] being distributed in Kenya, has been reviewed and found safe not only by the WHO rigorous process but also by several stringent regulatory authorities," the WHO said in March.

Now, a very sad news has come out that Dr. Karanja has passed away due to Covid-19.

Kenya, just like other African developing countries, has received just over a million vaccine doses from the global Covax initiative, most of which have been administered. The country has confirmed more than 160,000 cases and 2,707 deaths. In March, the government imposed another lockdown restricting movement in five counties after a surge in new infections. They were planning to have dosages from India where the worst wave is hitting (around 400,000 cases and 4,000 deaths per day) which is very unlikely considering the present situations.

The Ministry of Health and the Social Health Authority (SHA) are under fire for their handling of employee concerns regarding salaries and job security amid the transition from the defunct National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) to SHA.

Former NHIF employees report a lack of clear communication on their employment status and future pay structure under the new health scheme. Many workers fear that their salaries may be significantly reduced, despite reassurances from SHA leadership.

“There are no clear answers about our future. We are told that no jobs will be lost, but nothing is guaranteed,” said one employee who requested anonymity.

Contradictions in Job Security Promises

Despite employee anxieties, SHA Chairperson Abdi Mohammed has been accused of ignoring concerns about salaries and job placements. An internal memo obtained by The Standard reveals that SHA has only 815 available positions, significantly fewer than NHIF’s previous 1,732 roles.

Mohammed has publicly stated that no permanent and pensionable employees will lose their jobs. However, the same memo clarifies that NHIF staff not absorbed by SHA will have to opt for early retirement or seek redeployment elsewhere in public service. Those reassigned to other government roles will not be eligible for SHA employment.

Salary Uncertainty Sparks Anxiety

Employees insist their primary concern is salary retention, an issue they claim has been deliberately avoided by SHA leadership. Many fear that transitioning to public service could come with drastic pay cuts, leaving them struggling to meet financial obligations such as loans and mortgages.

“We need a clear, written confirmation on whether we will receive the same salaries in public service as we did under NHIF,” an affected employee stated.

Sources indicate that salaries under SHA will now be strictly determined by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), unlike NHIF, which had more flexibility in setting pay scales. Some employees are expected to see salary reductions ranging from Sh80,000 to Sh100,000.

“If someone earning Sh200,000 is suddenly reduced to Sh60,000, isn’t that effectively a job loss?” a concerned staff member questioned.

Hiring Process Under Scrutiny

As SHA finalizes recruitment for key positions—including Chief Executive Officer, directors, deputy directors, and regional managers—there are growing allegations of an opaque hiring process. On February 10, members of the National Assembly Departmental Health Committee criticized the recruitment, accusing SHA leadership of unlawfully hand-picking individuals for top roles.

An internal memo dated November 20, 2024, revealed that at least 24 senior managers have already been appointed in acting capacities, raising further concerns about transparency and fairness in the hiring process.

Potential Legal Challenges Loom

Insiders warn that if the salary issue remains unresolved, affected employees may take legal action against SHA. One source noted that recommendations from the transition committee on handling staff concerns were largely ignored.