Former KICC bosses in hot soup over Sh1.5 billion tenders

Auditor General Edward Ouko

NAIROBI, KENYA: A special audit into how contracts worth more Sh1 billion were awarded during a global conference has recommended the punishment of the former top bosses of a State corporation.

Auditor General Edward Ouko has outlined how top managers of Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) falsified and fraudulently deleted records to conceal audit trails of procurement for the World Trade Organisation conference. Consequently, Mr Ouko has recommended that Sh666 million claimed by suppliers should not be paid.

Suppliers of goods and services during the inter-ministerial meeting had claimed a total of Sh1.1 billion but Ouko recommended that only Sh387 million should be paid to genuine suppliers.

“We recommend payment of various contractors, suppliers and service providers a total amount of Sh386,931,228 out of the initial claims amounting to Sh1,053,391,910,” says Ouko.

The Auditor General says the corporation risks having its assets auctioned in the event the claims are not settled as most claimants have valid contracts.

The special audit tabled on Tuesday in the National Assembly by Majority Leader Aden Duale has also recommended that then KICC managing director Fred Simiyu be held liable for questionable contracts amounting to Sh496,896,079.

Also targeted are a former head of procurement, Charles Makoko, for the loss of Sh510,405,559 and former acting managing director Joel Terer for loss of Sh13,508,480.