Kenya's Most Authoritative Political Newspaper

Citizen Weekly

Sunday 29 March 2015

Contractors accuse reps of pocketing too much from water works

A war of words is raging between contractors in Kisii county, the members of the county assembly and the county executive over the manner tenders are awarded with claims that the MCAs have taken over the role of the procurement process to influence the outcome.
About 30 contractors accused the elected MCAs of allocating themselves a road each while demanding Sh500,000 bribe from any successful contractor before they can construct projects in their respective wards.
Addressing reporters at Spot Resorts in Kisii town, the contractors led by  Samuel Onchomba of Sitato Enterprises Construction Company and Emanuel Mwangi who is the youth patron of young contractors said that the MCAs were demanding between 10 to 70pc before they can be allowed to start the work.
But a section of MCAs led by Boochi Borabu ward MCA Samwel Onuko challenged the contractors to name the MCAs they had in mind because as much as they were concerned, no leader had interfered with the procurement process nor demanded bribes.
They said that the work of the MCAs was to represent wananchi in the county assembly, play an oversight role to the county executive and approve bills in the county assembly and they should not interfere with the procurement process.
The contractors said that they were read to call for mass action and collect signatures so that the county can go the Makueni way  if the MCAs will threaten Governor James Ongwae for impeachment.
Addressing the media in his office, Ongwae called for patience as there were over 500 contractors in he county and not all of them can qualify for the tenders at a go and those who had qualified during the last financial year should leave for those who did not get so that they can all enjoy the fruits of devolution.
Ongwae said that there were several water points, health projects roads, ECDE classrooms among others which had been advertised by the county government and they should all apply without feeling any sort of intimidation.
Former Kisii deputy mayor Kepha Mogaka who also accompanied the contractors called on the Ethics and Anti- Corruption Commission to investigate the MCAs so that they can be prosecuted because some of them were also illiterate to understand their role in the county assembly.
A contractor Jackson Ongubo said that he was given a tender to construct five water springs in Keumbu ward in Nyaribari Chache constituency at Sh5,000 but was only given Sh300,000 as the area MCA walked off with Sh200,000.

No comments:

Post a Comment