The Senate Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare has summoned Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury John Mbadi to appear before it over delayed pension payments owed to former employees of the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI).
The committee made the demand during its September 17, 2026 sitting, after the Cabinet Secretaries for Treasury and Health, together with the KEMRI Chief Executive Officer, failed to appear before the lawmakers to respond to questions surrounding the pension dispute.
The pensioners were represented during the proceedings by lawyer Kevin Turunga, alongside Lead Counsel Joe Mwariri, Advocate Victor Okebiro and Counsel Cindy.
Pensioners Wait For Their Benefits
The committee was informed that the number of pension beneficiaries reported to have died while waiting for their dues had risen to 53.
Members expressed concern over the prolonged nature of the dispute, with some pensioners having waited for many years for their benefits.
The committee also raised concerns about requiring elderly pensioners and beneficiaries facing health and financial challenges to repeatedly attend proceedings while the government officials required to provide answers were absent.
Treasury Explains CS’s Absence
The Director of Pensions told the committee that CS Mbadi had communicated his inability to attend, citing other official engagements that had kept him away from Nairobi.
The Director said his office had previously prepared and submitted a report on the pension matter following an earlier request by the committee and had appeared before the lawmakers to provide information on the issue.
However, the committee noted that the September 17 sitting specifically required the presence of the Treasury and Health Cabinet Secretaries together with the KEMRI CEO.
Questions Over Pension Scheme
The committee also examined the transition from the Defined Benefit (DB) pension scheme to the Defined Contribution (DC) arrangement at KEMRI.
Members were informed that the DB scheme was closed on June 30, 2008, after which the DC scheme was established.
The committee raised questions over the outstanding legacy benefits under the former scheme and how the transition affected the pensioners who were already members of the DB arrangement.
The issue was deferred pending further clarification from the Treasury Cabinet Secretary.
Committee Demands Answers
The committee directed its Clerk to formally require CS Mbadi to appear at the next sitting and respond to the outstanding questions.
Members also discussed possible sanctions to compel the Cabinet Secretaries and KEMRI CEO to attend future proceedings.
The committee noted that the September sitting was the third occasion on which the matter had been considered without the attendance of the officials whose presence had been requested.
The pension dispute remains unresolved, with the committee expected to continue seeking answers from the relevant government agencies on the outstanding benefits owed to the affected KEMRI pensioners.
