Graft scandals in Ministry of Health did not start yesterday

In the early years of independence, up to the 1970s, journalism in Kenya was still dominated by foreigners, mainly from Fleet Street in London.

So, not surprisingly, ran a Daily Nation editorial on March 27, 1974: “Milestone for the Press.”

The unusual editorial read: “Yesterday was a milestone in the evolution of the Fourth Estate in Kenya. For the first time, awards were presented, under the annual scheme instituted by Guinness East Africa Ltd, to the best journalist and the best news photographer of the year.”

The awards, set up to commemorate two then well-known journalists, Boaz Omari, a former editor-in-chief of the Nation, and Kenneth Bolton, a former editor of the East African Standard (now The Standard) — both had since died — and to assist in efforts being made to achieve the highest standards of journalism in Kenya.

“It is hoped that the awards will instil in the younger generation of indigenous journalists... the spirit of striving and endeavour so that in due course, they will be able to say that local journalists, born, bred, and trained in Kenya, rank among the best anywhere in the world.”

The editorial went on to say the Nation group, “which a little over a decade ago was the first in this country to encourage local talent in this field without bias and prejudice, is proud to be able to announce that the Journalist of the Year award for 1973 went to a member of its staff, Peter Mwaura, of the Sunday Nation.

“And we are proud still that one of the main reasons for his selection was his expose last year of the scandal in the Kenya Government’s Central Medical Stores, a story which he researched and wrote in the best traditions of crusading journalism for which the Nation group has made a name for itself.” 

The editorial concluded: “The Fourth Estate, may it ever grow stronger, is an integral part of the Kenyan scene.

"Let us take this opportunity to make clear to all that we will carry out the duties inherent in our calling without fear or favour.

"We will not be bullied, bribed, bought or intimidated in the discharge of these duties, in keeping with the cherished beliefs of those whose duty it is to inform and to comment on the passing scene.”

Allow me to take over from the editorial. The Peter Mwaura mentioned in the editorial is your public editor today.

IN DETENTION

I say this, not with nostalgia, but with humility that I was the first journalist in Kenya to be bestowed with an award for investigative reporting — for investigating and exposing corruption in the country’s health services.

Investigative journalism in those days of authoritarian regimes was very difficult. 

The story was that the Zacharia Shimechero, the deputy secretary in charge of the Government Central Medical Stores, was receiving bribes from pharmaceutical companies to buy expired or copycat and untested drugs manufactured in some backstreets of Bombay (Mumbai). 

The headline to my story was “The Drug Scandal”. 

The opening paragraph read, “A scandal of major proportions has been unearthed in the Sh176 million Ministry of Health which could undermine the country’s medical services and bring fear to thousands of patients in government hospitals.”

You probably can reproduce the same story today and nobody would know the difference.

But there was a difference. When the story broke that Sunday morning the Special Branch came looking for me in my rural home. 

And I spent three nights detained at the CID offices in Nairobi, in a room lit by a single naked bulb.

I was perched on a chair (the only furniture in the room) like a bird, with a sentry outside the door.  

In the end I was vindicated. Shimechero was tried and jailed for two years.

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