Reps reject report on irregular Sh22m tender
What you need to know:
- According to the report, none of the county assemblies across the country, including Nairobi, which has the highest number of MCAs, spent such a huge amount purchasing the equipment.
- The seven are Mr Kigen (Kaptarakwa Ward); Ms Faith Chepkairor (nominated); Ms Neddy Kilimo (nominated); Mr Festus Kirop (Endo Ward); Mr Philemon Mdozi (Chebororwa Ward); Mr David Kipketer (Cherangany/Kapcherop Ward); and Mr Christopher Chemosong (Arror Ward).
- The committee had recommended that the tender for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the multimedia congress system for the county assembly be stopped until a value-for-money assessment had been done.
The county assembly has rejected a report showing how it lost Sh16 million in a fraudulent deal to procure Hansard equipment.
The report, tabled before the House by the Public Accounts and Investments Committee (PAIC), exposed how the County Public Service Board (CPSB) violated various provisions of the law in awarding a Sh22 million tender to M/S Baycoms Limited.
The price quoted by the company to provide and instal the equipment was considered too high.
When the report was tabled by PAIC Chairman Thomas Kigen, members of the county assembly debated the matter at length. Eventually, only seven out of the 29 MCAs supported the document, saying the House should fight corruption.
The seven are Mr Kigen (Kaptarakwa Ward); Ms Faith Chepkairor (nominated); Ms Neddy Kilimo (nominated); Mr Festus Kirop (Endo Ward); Mr Philemon Mdozi (Chebororwa Ward); Mr David Kipketer (Cherangany/Kapcherop Ward); and Mr Christopher Chemosong (Arror Ward).
The rest of the MCAs ganged up to dismiss the report that had recommended the disbanding of the CPSB.
It had also proposed the suspension of the assembly’s chief accounting officials accused of misleading the board, resulting in the loss.
After the report was rejected, Mr Kigen told reporters: “We were not surprised when some MCAs, including those who hardly contribute anything in the House, spoke on top of their voices as they rejected our report. We unearthed a scandal that I believe is the biggest in all the 47 county assemblies in Kenya.”
He added: “Although the House chose to protect the corrupt officials, we will send the report to other agencies, including the Public Procurement Oversight Authority, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the Auditor-General’s office.”
The committee had recommended that the tender for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the multimedia congress system for the county assembly be stopped until a value-for-money assessment had been done.
This came after it emerged that the assembly was going to lose Sh16 million.
According to the report, none of the county assemblies across the country, including Nairobi, which has the highest number of MCAs, spent such a huge amount purchasing the equipment.
West Pokot and Narok county assemblies used between Sh8 million and Sh9.8 million to acquire similar equipment.
