Moderna team tours Kenya ahead of the establishment of $500 million facility.

By Samuel Ouma The Cabinet Secretary for Health Sen. Mutahi Kagwe on Wednesday met with a team from Moderna at a Nairobi hotel. The Moderna team is on a familiarization tour to further the objectives of the US based firm following the recent signing of Memorandum of Understanding the company and the Government of Kenya. The signing of the MoU was witnessed by  President Uhuru Kenyatta on March the 7^th this year. The MoU signing was the first step towards the establishment of a facility in the country worth approximately $500m. Kenyan president had extended an invitation to the Moderna leadership to visit the country and put in place measures for the operationalization of their plans to set up the factory. The visiting Moderna team is led by Shannon Klinger, Chief Legal Officer and includes Roland Rocafort, Senior Vice President, Facilities & Engineering as well as Dean Geribo, Head of Corporate Security. They are accompanied by Congressman Ed Royce, Policy Director, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP. During their visit, they are expected to explore further different aspects necessary for their operations including where to situate the factory as well as other set up logistics. They will also visit the Kenyatta University Teaching Research and Referral Hospital facility where they will witness a vaccination site and also get a tour of the Cancer care cHospita Welcoming them to the country, CS Kagwe said the Ministry of Health and other relevant Government Ministries were under instructions from the President to ensure that the setup of the establishment is as smooth as possible and happens in the shortest time possible. He reiterated that the country is committed to ensuring Moderna’s objectives are met since through the process the country and the region will benefit. Also present at the meeting was Hon. Betty Maina, Cabinet Secretary for Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development, other senior Government Officials as well as representatives from the US embassy in Nairobi.