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Citizen Weekly

Sunday 29 March 2015

Rep sheds tears in public alleging graft in county

A cold war has erupted between Kericho county government senior officer allegedly over a Sh350million illegal tender deal which went sour.
A member of the county assembly Samuel Ngetich while addressing residents in his ward recounted how he was pushed out of county procurement offices when he pursued  the abnormalities in payment of roads which were allegedly done in his ward, while the roads are ghost projects .
According to the MCA payment are prepared  when a road is done and  inspected by engineers and certified  as complete, but  in this case, certificates of completion are prepared and a contractor paid  for roads which are non-existint.  
 And there exists a conflict between CDF projects and county government sponsored activity with officers from the latter complaining that Kericho  procurement office was paying for their projects  earlier completed by different contractors and paid for from their kitty.
Similarly, sources have it that  county assembly members who made up with Governor Paul Chepkwony recently after impeaching him in 2014 have prepared a motion to impeach the  officers implicated.
According to a source within the governor’s office the illegal arrangement was reached at to benefit corrupt senior officers who have private shops and machinery  and where all tenders are coordinated  and  done  to prosper them.
A Sh350million budget was calculated and Sh96million loaded for this spell, but those earlier incooperated failed to benefit and as an alternative spilled the beans.
Our source revealed that another meeting was held, this time with a more slimmer and senior membership from roads ministry, finance, procurement and ICT, where, it was agreed to reduce on membership for secrecy.
Major companies were registered and a few existing  within the county co-habited  to work on roads and procurement of ICT equipment  for the county in the shortest time possible.
“These companies are given tenders and later ordered to purchase all the necessaries from shops and use machine belonging to the barons of the county,” he claimed.
One of their daily source of earnings according to our source is the Tata lorries which are to earn the county upto Sh100,000a day, though our source lamented that the money ends up in their pockets.
Those  in good relations with the governor believe that he has allegedly  been blindfolded by the group  which has continuously showered him with gifts to receive his blessings for a job well done.
“I’m  sure they are told ‘good work, keep it up’ while the money is public funds,” our source lamented .
It is alleged the corrupt officers involved have invested in Ng’ong, Ong’ata-Rongai and Syokimau. Others have property in Athi River, ICT shops in  Eldoret town, estates and wholesale shops in Nakuru county.
The disturbed  group is threatening to come up with more evidence  if the issue is not addressed soon saying that the officers  have been using the money to  influence transfers and restructuring when they sense any threat.
Ngetich shed tears in the public last weekend  as he tried to explain to the electorate how  senior officers in the county were  stealing millions in ghost projects.
Ngetich narrated to a disappointed crowd in Kiongo Secondary School  how cheques are drown for projects which are not existing in any ward adding that  the money is then paid  and later shared amongst the group.
He alleged that many times he has been injured in confrontation when he dismisses claims that projects are done in his constituency when they are not true.
“The procurement officers pushed me. This people elected me and I’m to represent  them with the truth, not lies that projects have been done when it is wrong,” he presaged.
He was speaking during the official launching of two classrooms sponsored by Unilever Tea which was attended by the area MP Benjamin Langat and his excellency  governor Paul Chepkwony.
“You are lamenting about irregularities when you are one of the beneficiaries. We gave you Kiongo road and you are complaining that my officers are corrupt. Explain to mwananchi  if you are not corrupt?” the governor posed.
Earlier the MCA called on the central government to intervene and invite external auditors who will audit all contractors, senior officers and the procurement department which he claimed was rotten with officers drunk with public stolen money.

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