Wambora probe revealed fraud in procurement deals, says Ouko

By MOSES NJAGIH

Kenya: Auditor General Edward Ouko has said a probe they conducted on the Embu County Government unearthed numerous procurement irregularities in respect to three main contracts worth Sh37 million.

Ouko further revealed that there were anomalies in the purchase of a Sh12 million official vehicle for Governor Martin Wambora, whose cost shot up by a further Sh2 million.

There were also questions into the whereabouts of the logbook to the same vehicle, with the Auditor General claiming that their efforts to lay their hands on the vehicle ownership document during the probe were fruitless.

Ouko said they had demanded that the county government produce the document, but by the time they concluded their exercise on December 5, last year, the government had not complied.

Wambora, who is fighting his impeachment before the Senate Special Committee and who had promised Committee Chairman Boni Khalwale that he would produce the same today, said the logbook was in the custody of a Mr Gideon Makenge, a member of the county procurement team.

Tendering process

“This is the same officer we summoned to appear before this committee, unfortunately up to now we have not seen him,” said Wambora’s lawyer Wilfred Nyamu.

In his presentation, Ouko said irregularities, mainly in use of the restrictive tendering process, were noted in the Sh3 million contract for construction of a conference hall, Sh12 million for refurbishment of the former provincial headquarters and another Sh22 million tender for re-roofing of the town hall.

“An example of the violation was the fact that the firm that undertook the work on the tenders was not among those registered then under the Ministry of Public Works,” said Ouko.

“Though some of these duties are undertaken by delegated officers, there has to be an ultimate system set by the governor to check on these,” he said.

When he appeared before the committee, Transition Authority Chief Executive Officer Stephen Makori said the procurement irregularities were conducted during the period when the processes were being handled by the Transition Authority.