Kidero cracks whip at City Hall over graft

By SIMON NDONGA | April 17, 2013

Dr Kidero said he wanted to seal all revenue leakages for his government to deliver services. Photo/ FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 17 – Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has interdicted four senior officers at the Nairobi County Hall over tenders worth Sh180 million that were not fulfilled.

Among those sent packing are the Acting Senior Procurement Officer Vincent Odhiambo Kamenya, Security Officer Dominic Munyao Ndaka, the Assistant Works Officer-City Engineer Jeremiah Marita and Anthony Kipsang Kiano from the Procurement Department.

Kidero said 25 contractors have also been blacklisted after investigations revealed that the officers have been aiding rogue suppliers by preparing fictitious payment vouchers for two years.

“Investigations have commenced and we are digging into the past payments of the contractors and suppliers with a view of claiming the fictitious payments from those found culpable,” he said.

Ten others from the Procurement department, City Engineering, Treasury and Inspection and Acceptance Committee are also currently under investigation.

This is the first purge on corruption by the governor since he was elected.

The directors of 25 companies are also being probed in what Kidero described as a titanic battle over corruption.

Among the suppliers being investigated are Mewatech Contractors, Tylo Enterprises, Ama Trading Company Ltd, Kihunya Construction and Civil Engineering Limited and Maury Enterprises Ltd.

According to Corporal Urbanus Munguti of the Criminal Investigations Department based at the Nairobi County Government, the suspended officers had the delivery receipt books of the suspected contractors and suppliers in their possession which had been partly used.

He said that the delivery books were being used mainly by the interdicted officers to generate payment vouchers for the suppliers and contractors over non-existent building materials.

According to Kidero, Nanyuki Road Engineering Depot has been a notorious corruption hub, with a closely knit cartel that has been operating there.

“This is where all building and construction materials supplied to City Hall for maintenance of roads, schools, dispensaries and other construction related materials are delivered,” he said.

He pointed out that investigations have revealed that once the suppliers get Local Purchase Orders (LPO) from the procurement department, they allegedly colluded with the officers working at the depot who confirmed in their delivery books that the goods have been delivered, yet none had been.

The full list of suppliers who have been blacklisted and are being probed is as follows:

1. Mewatech Contractors
2. Tylo-Enterprises
3. Ama Trading Co. Ltd
4. Chart Information Systems
5. Kihunya Construction and Civil Engineering
6. Lonzo Contractors
7. Linktech Company Ltd
8. Altair Company Ltd
9. Maryakan Investments
10. Syprus Engineering Company
11. Maury Enterprises Ltd
12. Pinkstone Enterprises
13. Kisiayato General Agencies Ltd
14. Jalimoss E.A Limited
15. Amfex Building and Civil Engineering Co. Ltd
16. Lick Agencies
17. Mandes Enterprises
18. Alama Trading Company
19. Steerbees International
20. Kameryo General Supplies
21. Anak Enterprises
22. Shekeltech Enterprises
23. Multivest Solutions
24. Mayatech General Enterprises
25. Kingsted General Merchants