By Karanja Njoroge and Steve Mkawale
Nakuru, Kenya: Head of procurement at the Nakuru County Government has become the latest official to face the wrath of Members of the County Assembly eager to assert their authority.
The MCA’s unanimously passed a vote of no confidence against Elizabeth Masaku after a joint committee accused her of insubordination and arrogance. Members of three committees — Justice and Legal Affairs, Budget and Transport — recommended that Governor Kinuthia Mbugua replace Masaku with immediate effect.
The decision by the assembly follows a vicious fight for the control of over Sh5 billion set aside for various development projects.
Masaku is the first casualty of the all-out war reportedly pitting cartels of contractors allied to some senior county officials against local politicians and influential businessmen eyeing the lucrative tenders.
The vote against the officer comes in the wake of the passing of a Motion to successfully impeach Embu Governor Martin Wambora by his county assembly that was ratified by the Senate.
In Nakuru County, the debate to adopt the report to remove the procurement officer was preceded by allegations of bribery and tension, with youths supporting the officer camping outside the chamber shouting slogans against the MCA.
The Standard On Sunday has learnt that two members of Mbugua’s cabinet orchestrated the move to oust Masaku from office over her strict adherence to procurement laws and insistence that companies linked to county officials and MCAs must not be allowed to do business with the county.
“Some of the companies she was opposed to were eyeing contracts worth over Sh5 million yet they did not meet the set procurement rules,” said a source privy to the controversy.
Insubordiantion claims
But questions have been raised about the report that zeroed in on Masaku. The committee summoned 10 senior officials of the county including County Secretary Joseph Motari.
When tabling the report, the Chairman of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee Samuel Waithuki said the assembly’s joint committee realised there was bad blood between her and the County Executive Member for Finance.
“There was total disregard of correspondence, policies and circulars of the County Finance Executive by her which amounts to insubordination pursuant to Public Finance Management Act,” he stated.
Mr Waithuki said the officer informed the team that she was not answerable to the County Finance Executive.
The committee report stated that the officer disregarded a directive by the Finance executive to ensure there exist sufficient security features in documents used to collect revenue.
“The CEC Finance had directed that only receipts with sufficient security features should be used but the procurement head continued to produce more receipts without adhering to his order,’ he told the assembly.
But in her defence, Masaku produced documents and reasons for her actions, which were curiously omitted from the final report.
During the debate, some of the MCAs claimed they had received threatening messages to force them to oppose the report.
“If MCAs can receive messages threatening them and report the phone number yet the security officers in the county do not act, then there is a major problem with the security apparatus,” said Gitau Kamau, a County Ward Representative from Rongai.
The manner in which the County Speaker Susan Kihika conducted the debate on the report raised eyebrows as she deliberately ignored members who were opposed to the report.
Some of members protested bitterly that the Speaker failed to offer those supporting the embattled officer a chance to contribute to the debate. “If this is the way business is going to be conducted in this chamber, then we are in problems. My name was mentioned adversely during the debate and I should have been given a chance to defend myself,” MCA Stephen Kuria protested.
Kihika had to hurriedly conclude the debate citing security concerns. “I can see more members want to contribute but because of security we should move out of here before darkness sets in,” the Speaker ruled.
Tender cartels
She said an Ad Hoc Committee will be set up to address the security of members over the alleged threats on their life.
The row over the tenders has sucked in some Members of Parliament from the county.
Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri has been at the forefront protesting alleged irregularity in the award of tenders to companies linked to some members of county executive.
“There is no way businessmen can compete with members of the executive in doing business with the county government. This matter must be addressed or else the governor risks being accused of abetting corruption,” said Ngunjiri when contacted over the matter.
The legislator urged the governor to take charge saying he had raised the issue of cartels with Mbugua on several occasions.
He said Mbugua will be held accountable if his government fails to deliver over the ongoing wrangles.
The current face-off at the county have been as a result of a Sh126 million tender for the rehabilitation of a road, which some MCAs and senior officials have been eyeing.
Sources say Masaku’s insistence that the contracts be awarded in accordance to procurement laws triggered the probe.
The Chairman of the Implementation Committee Simon Wanango said they would ensure that Masaku leaves office immediately following the adoption of the report.
“We are going to ensure that the recommendations of the joint committee are implemented,” the Lake View MCA stated.
Other recommendations by the committees are that procurement be devolved to the sub-county level within one month.
The assembly also resolved that disbursement of bursary should accompany the names of the beneficiaries and the same be devolved to the sub–counties.
A Bill of Quantities for every project will be undertaken at the ward and be forwarded to the MCAs through the assembly for scrutiny before the project starts.
