Companies associated with at least 10 MPs and
prominent politicians reaped millions of shillings in tenders from the
National Youth Service (NYS), investigations by the Nation have established.
This
comes in the wake of reported intense lobbying by those suspected to
have benefited from the loss of Sh1.6 billion to influence the outcome
of a parliamentary investigation.
While
most of the lawmakers identified in the companies on our list are not
named as directors and there is no clear indication of wrongdoing in the
tender awards, questions of conflict of interest and possible influence
peddling linger.
Kenirie, a company
associated with relatives of Kiambu Woman Representative Nyokabi
Gatheca, who is related to President Uhuru Kenyatta, is listed among
those that benefited from NYS contracts.
It
was awarded a contract worth Sh88.9 million to supply injector pumps,
mostly used in diesel engines. The directors of the company are listed
as Felistas Wanjiku Chege, Catherine Ngina Gatheca and Muthoni Lucy
Gatheca.
The Woman Representative did not respond to repeated requests for a comment.
The
family of Runyenjes MP Cecily Mbarire also got Sh75.6 million for
supplying unspecified equipment and machines through Dayton Investment.
The company’s directors are Peter Nthiga Mbarire and Grace Rwamba
Mbarire. It was registered in January 2012. The Runyenjes MP, too, has
not responded to inquiries from the Nation.
RUBBER GLOVES
Nominated
Senator Paul Njoroge, who was last week captured in a gun drama with
Shell/Vivo Managing Director Polycarp Igathe, is also caught up in the
web of tenders after the company Clout Ventures was paid Sh40 million
for supplying industrial rubber gloves and gumboots.
The Senator admitted having done business with NYS but said his company had nothing to do with the stolen funds.
“We won the tender competitively and our prices were not exaggerated like some have done,” he said.
He claims he is being targeted because he has been vocal in condemning theft at NYS.
Another
company paid at least Sh40 million is said to be associated with an MP
from Nyeri who we cannot name as the list of directors was not available
by the time of going to press. The MP is also associated with two other
companies paid at least Sh50 million.
Bonito
Properties, a company associated with Bungoma gubernatorial aspirant
Wycliffe Wangamati, was paid Sh21.7 million for the refurbishment of NYS
barracks in Gilgil.
A legislator
from Samburu is also said to have received at least Sh10 million in
tenders. The lawmaker declined to comment when contacted.
A
Nairobi-based politician with hopes of unseating Governor Evans Kidero
on a Jubilee ticket also made Sh40 million from the transactions.
Companies linked to him are, however, registered using proxies.
ELIUD WABUKALA
Both
the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission headed by retired Archbishop
Eliud Wabukala and the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee
under Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo are investigating the matter.
Our
information was pieced together through interviews with multiple
sources and an examination of documents – including a special Auditor-
General’s report presented to the Public Accounts Committee of the
National Assembly.
Last year,
allegations emerged that relatives of Suna East MP Junet Mohammed also
benefited from the tenders. However, the MP denied influencing the
tender award.
“Some MPs panicked when
Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa and others called a press conference in
November to reveal that Junet’s family did business with NYS. There are
many MPs and senior government officials who benefited from the tenders.
Even though they did legitimate business, they obviously used their
influence and insider knowledge to get them,” a source at the heart of
the investigations said.
Former
Devolution Principal Secretary Peter Mangiti, former NYS director
General Nelson Githinji, his deputy Adan Gedow Harakhe and senior
Devolution Ministry administrator Hassan Noor Hassan are among officials
charged with various offences. Ms Josephine Kabura Irungu and Mr Ben
Gethi were among the first suspects to be arraigned in court.
Earlier
last year, former Devolution CS Anne Waiguru requested President
Kenyatta to form a commission of inquiry to investigate the matter.
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