Team says chairman compromised over untabled Sh27m ‘dubious’ tender report

Turkana, Kenya: Turkana county executive has been accused of flouting procurement procedures and misappropriation of funds.

The Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) have raised the red flag as the Transport and Public Works Committee probes an alleged Sh27 million dubious transport tender awarded without the assembly's approval.

The committee summoned the County Executive Committee member for Finance, his Transport counterpart, the internal auditor and the procurement officer over the controversial tender.

Committee chairman James Abei said though they have experienced delays in tabling the report in the assembly, it has nothing to do with trying to shield those mentioned.

"We are on the final stages of compiling the report, which the assembly is expected to adopt soon," he said.

He refuted claims that he is colluding with CECs to shelve the report and keep the assembly in the dark. The committee members claimed for the last six months, the report has disappeared into thin air after the County assembly speaker made a ruling on the matter several months ago.

The public petitioners, who raised an alarm over the alleged irregularities, say the process was a scam and demanded the tender be re-advertised. Some residents, who have petitioned the assembly, are also seeking the removal of the two CECs.

In a report seen by The Standard, the internal auditor and the procurement officer, while appearing before the committee, denied any wrong doing, saying they did not take part in awarding the tender.

But Governor Josphat Nanok refuted any claims of embezzlement, saying some people are peddling lies about his government, adding that his accounts and records are clean and up to date. Some committee members claimed the chairman was compromised and threatened a show down in the House when the speaker Geoffrey Kaituko returns from an official trip in UK next week.