The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) has vowed to play its part in combating graft, amid rising public concern about  alleged corruption surrounding the supply of medicine and personal protective equipment related to Covid-19.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, KEPSA chief executive officer Carole Karuga said the alliance was disturbed by these allegations "which if proven will constitute one of the most heinous economic and health crimes against the people of Kenya, coming at a time when Kenyans are being asked to make enormous personal, financial and business sacrifices to combat the spread and impact of Covid-19".

"As an immediate first step, KEPSA has called on the government to undertake an urgent, independent and transparent audit of the use of all Covid funds raised, including those raised under the aegis of the KEPSA-supported Covid-19 Fund Board, to ensure those found culpable of misuse are brought to book," Karuga said.

"Separately, KEPSA has also appealed to its members in all sectors to undertake urgent and rigorous self-examinations in order to remove any weaknesses that allow malpractices leading to corruption. These self-examinations should include expelling from their memberships any companies or individuals found to be involved in the embezzlement of Covid funds."

She said the alliance would continue rolling out a code of ethics under the auspices of the United Nations Global Compact, a pact which encourages businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies and report on their implementation.

KEPSA was encouraging its 1 000 business member organisations to not only sign but also adopt a self-regulatory framework for their members, and would also intensify training on business ethics and integrity, while also pushing and supporting the digitisation of government services as a key effort in reducing corruption in Kenya, Karuga said.

"In addition, KEPSA continues to urge government to make amendments to the Public Procurement and Disposal Act regulations to include a stipulation  that government only does business with those companies that have signed the Code of Ethics for Business; the mandatory online publishing of prices of goods that the government procures; and also publish online the procurement process for goods and projects for greater transparency," she added.

She said the Covid-19 Fund Board supported by KEPSA had so far raised nearly Ksh3-billion (US$27.7-million) from corporates, foundations, religious institutions, multinationals and Kenyans of good will to bolster the fight against the virus.

The Covid-19 Fund Board was a completely separate entity from the government’s Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund, Karuga stressed, adding all funds raised by the former had been used to purchase personal protective equipment and were fully accounted for.

On Monday, the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation reported that health cabinet secretary Mutahi Kagwe had downplayed claims that money meant to fight the coronavirus pandemic had been misappropriated.

The national broadcaster said Kagwe, who appeared before parliament's health committee, told its members that the ministry had only received Ksh23-billion (US$212-million) or 15 percent of the total money allocated by the government and that this had been prudently spent.

To date, some 30 365 people in Kenya have been infected with Covid-19, the eighth highest number of cases in Africa after South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco, Ghana, Algeria and neighbouring Ethiopia. The virus has taken 482 lives in the East African country, while 17 160 people have recovered.