Mixed reactions after President Ruto pardoned former KEMRI boss jailed for 6 years

Piece by: ASHLEY OTIENO

26 July 2023

• Twitter has flared up with Kenyans having mixed reactions towards the presidential pardon of Former KEMRI boss.

Kenyans reactions to the pardon of KEMRI boss

Davy Koech, the former KEMRI boss, is part of the people who received a presidential pardon after he was sentenced to 6 years in prison.

He was involved in the KEMRI scandal during the covid times and had been arrested for embezzlement of funds.

The former boss had transferred Sh19.3 million from KEMRI's bank accounts to his personal bank accounts.

This money was said to have been used to finance his children's studies abroad, money that was allocated for the Centre for Disease Control in Kisumu.

This act elicited a lot of mixed reactions from Netizens with some saying that after everything he had done for the country, he needed to be let to retire peacefully.

Others said that also the people in prison for minor crimes should also be pardoned if corrupt people can be pardoned.

Some took the matter to be tribalistic saying the president favored his fellow tribesman and he is not helping to fight corruption but enabling it.

Here are some of the reactions left by Kenyans:

Dr Boni Khalwale, CBS @KBonimteteziA big reprieve for my teacher. Prof Davy Koech taught me Immunology & Molecular Medicine at The University of Nairobi

THEE WISDOM SELLER @ronniechirchirWho is DAVY KOECH Davy Koech is the only Kipsigis Kenyan scientist from Kericho Soin Sigowet, he's the only Professor of Immunology and Molecular Medicines, he was ranked among the 500 greatest genius of 2021 globally.

Kimuzi @Kimuzi_Ata inakua ngumu kutetea hii gava. Uyo Davy Koech aliiba dooh mob sana. Na watoi wake kama uyo Kigen Koech hawanaga akili. Dooh tu

Lord Abraham Mutai @ItsMutaiDavy Koech deserves the pardon by the President. I can't speak for others on that list, but What Davy did to this country, he deserves a quiet retirement, at home, not in jail. There is no KEMRI in this country were it not for Davy Koech. Let the man be.

Dr.Evans Richard @DrEvansRichardDavy Koech was convicted due to corruption.... stealing from public shouldn't be pardone....he should refund.....stop cultivating corruption