By RAWLINGS OTIENO
NAIROBI, KENYA: Nairobi City Governor Evans Kidero has interdicted four senior officers over a loss of Sh180 million related to the infamous ‘air supplies’ at City Hall.
Among those interdicted are Acting Senior Procurement Officer Vincent Odhiambo, Security Officer Dominic Ndaka, Assistant Works Officer-City Engineer Jeremiah Maritah and Anthony Kipsang an officer from the Procurement Department.
Kidero said the above named suspects have been aiding the rogue suppliers in preparing fictitious payment vouchers for the two years, as per an investigation report in their possession.
“Investigations have commenced and we are digging into the past payments of the contractors and suppliers with a view of claiming the fictitious payments from those found culpable,” he said in his office yesterday.
Ten others from the Procurement Department, City Engineering, Treasury and Inspection and Acceptance Committee are under investigations in what could turn out to the biggest purge on corruption by Kidero since he was elected.
The Governor has also blacklisted at least 25 companies that trade in supply of building materials, ICT, Construction companies among others. Their directors are also being probed in what Kidero says will be a titanic battle over corruption.
Since taking over the mantle at City Hall, Kidero has been keen on cracking the whip on corrupt individuals robbing off the revenue base set aside for the improvement of services for Nairobi residents.
He said that the crackdown would continue until all individuals perpetuating the vice are brought to book and prosecuted.
According to Corporal Urbanus Munguti of the Criminal Investigations Department seconded to the Nairobi County Government, the suspended officers had the delivery receipt books of the suspected contractors and suppliers in their possession, which had been partly used.
“The delivery books were being used mainly by the interdicted officers to generate payment vouchers for the suppliers and contractors over non-existent building materials,” he said.
According to the investigations officer, The Nanyuki Road Engineering Depot has been a notorious corruption hub, and Kidero seems to have cracked the whip on the closely-knit cartel that has been operating there.
The depot is where all building and construction materials supplied to City Hall for maintenance of roads, schools, dispensaries and other construction related materials are delivered.
Investigations have revealed that once the suppliers get Local Purchase Orders (LPO) from the procurement department, they allegedly collude with the officers working at the depot who confirm in their delivery books that the goods have been delivered, whereas none has been.
Laying out his plan to combat corruption in the county, Kidero said that he would work toward anti-graft legislation.
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“I am in the process of initiating necessary legislation on governance with special focus on tackling corruption within the County and within three months of the legislation, I will have sealed all revenue leakages and all financial malpractices,” Kidero added.
He said that he also intends to set up the County Ombudsman’s Office with a clear mandate to handle all aspects of integrity and more so corruption within the rank and file in the County.
This is the first time senior officers have been interdicted at the Nairobi County Government over malpractices and misappropriation of funds
The interdiction comes after the Governor ordered for an impromptu search to unearth what has been the biggest cartel operating in the corridors of City Hall.
Below is the Full list of suppliers who have been placed under investigations:
1. Mewatech Contractors
2. Tylo-Enterprises
3. Ama Trading Co. Ltd
4. Chart Information Systems
5. Kihunya Construction and Civil Engineering
6. Lonzo Contractors
7. Linktech Company Ltd
8. Altair Company Ltd
9. Maryakan Investments
10. Syprus Engineering Company
11. Maury Enterprises Ltd
12. Pinkstone Enterprises
13. Kisiayato General Agencies Ltd
14. Jalimoss E.A Limited
15. Amfex Building and Civil Engineering Co. Ltd
16. Lick Agencies
17. Mandes Enterprises
18. Alama Trading Company
19. Steerbees International
20. Kameryo General Supplies
21. Anak Enterprises
22. Shekeltech Enterprises
23. Multivest Solutions
24. Mayatech General Enterprises
25. Kingsted General Merchants
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