Team refutes claims of being compromised on Safaricom deal

A parliamentary committee has dismissed claims that it has been compromised over investigations into the multi-billion shilling security tender awarded to mobile service provider, Safaricom.

Parliament’s Committee on Administration and National Security demanded Government suspends signing the contract for the Integrated Public Safety Communications and Surveillance System tender until some concerns were cleared.

Yesterday, the committee vice chairman Alois Lentoimanga said they are “not for hire” as portrayed by a clip aired by a local television station, last week.

The news item indicated that the committee’s integrity has been compromised over the Sh14.9 billion security tender awarded to the mobile operator by the Government to improve the country’s security system.

“After meeting the Interior ministry officials, a clip ran on a local television station indicating that we have been compromised. I really do not know what they meant even after being clear and so open. The clip was not good for us,” he said while briefing the Press after a closed door meeting with the Interior ministry technical committee at Continental House yesterday.

This is not the first time claims of corruption are making their way into the parliamentary committees.

During a television show, early this year, Majority Leader Adan Duale and Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo accused MPs of using the parliamentary committees to “rent-seek”.

Though a kamukunji was called for the MPs to clear their alleged soiled https://cdn.standardmedia.co.ke/images, they were furious, saying the accusations could not be substantiated.

During the Tuesday morning meeting, the Asman Kamama-led committee said they sought to understand a number of issues from the Interior ministry technical committee, led by Principal Secretary Mutea Iringo.

The committee sought to know the average cost of installing the system and repayment method, besides seeking clarification on why different figures were quoted, ranging from Sh12 billion to Sh15 billion.

Hacking and infiltration

Another issue touched on Safaricom’s track record to successfully install similar security systems.

“We also wanted to know how secure the system is from hacking and infiltration by foreign agencies and any recourse in case of failure or the system is compromised,” said Lentoimanga.

Lentoimanga said surveillance is a critical matter, hence their determination to ensure it gets a clean bill of health.

He argued that the committee has a lot of interest in the country’s surveillance as it touches on the lives of its citizens hence the need to oversight and ensure it is secure and of high quality. “We want to ensure that if the tender is clean, then we will give it a clean bill of health,” he said.