Yes Koech is a scientist and so is Gikonyo. Most specialists are essentially scientists - because you specialize by practice and gathering knowledge. Likes of Arthur Obel lead research at UoN and also work at KNH on diabetes.
You are right KEMRI is research body. Just like CDC which is not leading anything as medical administrators - physicians - take over. Dr Deby Birsk and Tony Fauci - Trump corona crew - are not per se research scientists but physicians aka doctors.
I think research bodies cannot handle emergency such as corona nor are they meant to. You research stuff with DATA - which brand new diseases won't have. HIV was 10 year old by the time Pearl Omega or Kemron came about. CDC or KEMRI research, prepare and advise on prevention and control of pandemics but running the show is for medical admins in GoK.
Perhaps you mean KEMRI should be visible in the headlines and press conferences. But I think not. PR and spin need to be run by Kagwes who Kemri brief behind the scenes.
Koech is not a doctor. Kemri is research institution. Medical research. Koech helped start it and see it rise...thanks to aligning with Americans. Most of tropical disease research was funded by Europeans but as Americans starting having global ambition - they realized they needed to do more research on tropical disease.
This Corona is a big opportunity for KEMRI...now they need to get funding from waking Bill Gates.
Pundit and your usual Kalenjin nonsense. Likes of Dr Gikonyo of Karen Hospital are better doctors of international repute. Koech greatness was partly Moi tribalism. KEMRI is not meant to be popular - possibly giving MoH back hand support right now. US CDC is popular due to Hollywood. It is just another research and advisory unit.