Gachagua's office bought curtains, furniture worth Sh18 million

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. [DPCS, Standard]

The office of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua spent a whooping Sh10 million and Sh7.8 million to buy curtains and furniture respectively.

This is despite calls for austerity measures in the Kenya Kwanza administration led by Gachagua and his boss President William Ruto.

The details are contained in a report by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu for the financial year 22/23.

"During the year under review, the Office procured curtains and furniture amounting to Kshs.10,272,524 and Kshs.7,869,700 respectively all totalling Kshs.18,142,224 through request for quotations thereby splitting the procurement," said Gathungu.

The report exposes Kenya Kwanza's extravagance at a time when Kenyans are faced with high cost of living.

The purchases were made through requests for quotations which split procurement and the office failed to follow the procurement procedure which is against the law.

The DP's office sourced some of the furniture worth Sh2.4 million from one supplier using direct procurement instead of an open tender system.

Gachagua's office procured goods and services worth Sh198.6 million but the documents presented for audit had conflicting dates from initiation, processing procurement and payment.

Gathungu noted that some of the dates preceded the user requisitions, meaning some of the suppliers were paid even before delivering the actual goods or services.

She also noted that Gachagua's office owes suppliers Sh58.2 million during the 22/23 financial year which she said had been passed over to the 23/24 financial year.