MPs demand special audit over questionable tenders at Defence Department

Ministry of Defence Vice Chief of Defence Forces Robert Kibochi (left) and Principal Secretary Torome Saitoti when they appeared before the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee on Friday. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Members of Parliament have ordered the Department of Defence (DoD) to provide tender details for the Sh1.53 billion purchase of defective military jets.

The seven aircraft, which have never been used since they were procured more than two years ago, are currently being used as a source of spare parts for other jets.

The National Assembly Public Accounts Committee chaired by Opiyo Wandayi (Ugunja) wants the department to provide minutes that approved the transactions, the names of tender committee members and the list of Government officers who took part in the process.

The jets were supplied by the Royal Jordanian Air Force in April 2017, during the tenure of Defence Principal Secretary Zachary Mwaura and former Chief of Defence Forces General Jeremiah Kianga.

In his 2015-2016 audit report, Auditor General Edward Ouko said on inspection, experts at the Ministry of Defence found the jets defective.

“Records show that these aircraft were delivered, assembled and tested. However, an inspection undertaken by the ministry’s technocrats revealed a number of defects,” read the report.

The House team further directed Mr Ouko to conduct a special audit on the supply of foodstuff and other consumables to DoD for the financial years 2014-2015, 2015-2016 and 2016-2017.

The committee gave Ouko 60 days to conduct the audit as they carry on with investigating  the alleged skewed tendering.

The team opened investigations into claims of misuse of restricted tendering by the ministry following a complaint by a company involved in supplying meat to the Nanyuki base.

Highest bidders

Jack Wright (1982) Ltd, which claims the highest bidders win most contracts at DoD, has told the National Assembly the country could be losing millions of shillings.

But appearing before the committee last Friday, Defence Principal Secretary Torome Saitoti and Vice Chief of Defence Forces Robert Kibochi said Jack Wright was locked out of the tenders because of a poor attitude and litigious nature.

The department said it was uncomfortable dealing with someone who was so litigious.

Mr Kibochi further told the committee that DoD resorted to restricted tendering due to security concerns especially for solders operating along the Somali border.

“We wrote to the National Treasury and told them to securitise food items so that food could not be used as a weapon of war by our enemies,” he said.