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Nairobi Star Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Pressure mounts for government to deal with graft
BY WANYAKA GITUKU
and NZAU MUSAU
PRESSURE is mounting
on the government to act
decisively on corruption
with an envoy warning the
fight should not turn into a
political ping-pong
British High Commis-
sioner Rob Macaire said
allegations that the food
crisis had been made worse
KACC wants HEALTH
OFFICIALS CHARGED
BY CHARLES KERICH
The Kenya Anti-Corrup-
tion Commission has rec-
ommended that procure-
ment officers at the Ministry
of Health be charged with
involvement in fraudu-
lent dealings amounting to
Sh270 million.
The graft allegations re-
volve around a businessman
who is also a doctor at the
ministry.
The money was said to
have been awarded to the
doctor’s companies in five
tenders for the supply of
pharmaceuticals, medical
equipment and non-phar-
maceutical items.
KACC investigators con-
cluded that evidence dis-
closed that three of the ten-
ders — for supply of start-up
drugs, purchase of x-ray
mobile units and various
theatre units ­— were selec-
tively issued to companies in
which the doctor was either
a principal shareholder or
was closely associated with.
In the tender for supply
of start-up drugs, it was es-
tablished that documents
of tender were purportedly
issued to existing and non-
existing international com-
panies.
Investigators claimed to
President Obama wants big fish arrested
from page 1
nothing short of a “com-
plete departure” from the
past.
“I want to be clear on
this, we as the United States
have an interest in this (cor-
ruption). We are not going
to accept where there is a
window dressing, I mean
the usual way, you appoint
a commission, you arrest
the usual suspects at the
middle level, you change
people around and all go
on,” he said.
“We want where people
even of the highest level
involved in corruption (that
they) are brought to justice
and action taken”, added
Ranneberger.
by corruption were serious
and ought to be investi-
gated in a transparent way
without being politicised.
Macaire, who spoke on
the sidelines of a carbon-
trading conference, said
corruption had hurt the
country’s economy and
reputation and had also
impacted negatively on
citizens.
“We hope the way the
Base: The Ministry of Health headquarters in Nairobi. KACC has recommended that some ministry officials be charged.
have confirmed that the ex-
isting companies were una-
ware that tenders and bid
documents were submitted
on their behalf bearing sig-
natures and rubber stamps
of non-existent company
officials, bank officials and
witnessed by advocates and
accountants.
In this case, the award was
made to one of the compa-
nies for Sh28.7 million.
In the tender for the pur-
For the last four decades,
Kenya has been prosecut-
ing junior technocrats in
ministries and departments
where corruption has been
reported while senior politi-
cians and Cabinet ministers
are allowed to go scot-free,
the ambassador observed.
He said there has been
no tangible conviction of
the perpetrators of corrup-
tion even in the prosecu-
tions which have gone to
court.
“Kenya has had for four
or five decades of history of
culture of impunity. Basi-
cally people have gotten
away with corruption or
have gotten off very leni-
ently,” he observed.
Ranneberger was ad-
food crisis is handled does
not become a political foot-
ball. We hope it will not
be used to score political
goals,” he said.
He spoke as civil soci-
ety groups tore into Prime
Minister Raila Odinga
for allegedly intimidating
sections of the media into
toning down on coverage
of corruption.
International Centre
chase of theatre items, four
companies associated with
the doctor, were awarded a
Sh59.5 million tender. The
doctor is the controlling
shareholder and sole signa-
tory of the accounts of all
the companies awarded the
tender.
The mobile x-ray units
tender for Sh18 million was
made to a non-existing com-
pany. A cheque issued by the
Ministry of Health was de-
dressing the press at the
American Embassy in
Gigiri during a ceremony to
officially welcome President
Barack Obama’s govern-
ment.
The coalition govern-
ment was represented by
Raila who accompanied
Ranneberger for the press
conference.
During his inauguration
on January 20, Obama
stated clearly that his
administration would be
ruthless with those who
condone corruption and the
misuse of public resources.
In August 2006, the then
Senator Obama angered the
government when he fiercely
condemned corruption in
Kenya in a public address
for Policy and Conflict’s
Ndung’u Wainaina and
Bunge la Mwananchi’s
George Nyongesa criticised
Raila for unnecessarily
going on the warpath with
the media.
“We believe that the
Prime Minister is insensi-
tive to constructive media
and civil society criticism
and cares not about his
dwindling reform creden-
posited in the account of the
company that has no known
offices or physical address.
It was also verified that, al-
though not a signatory to
the account, the doctor in-
structed the bank to transfer
the money to the accounts
of another one of his com-
panies.
In the tender for non-
pharmaceutical items, offic-
ers of the ministry evaluated
and recommended seven
at the University of Nai-
robi. “While corruption is a
problem we all share, here in
Kenya it is a crisis - a crisis
that’s robbing an honest
people of the opportunities
they have fought for; the op-
portunity they deserve,” he
said in his address.
Obama’s inauguration
coincided with the reports
of Sh 7.6 billion Triton Pe-
troleum scandal and the Sh
825 million maize scam.
Yesterday, Ranneberger
said the US was closely
watching the steps Presi-
dent Kibaki and the PM
were taking on corruption.
“What we are talking
of is a real fundamental
departure,” he stated.
The ambassador said
tials, image and public
standing,” Wainaina said.
He said all public figures
must remain accountable
to the public and anyone
implicated on fuel, maize
or any scandal must be
made to answer. If the cul-
prits were not brought to
book, he said, it would be
concluded that they were
enjoying the protection of
Raila and Kibaki.
photo/file
bidders’ samples as accept-
able.
However, the evalua-
tion report presented to the
ministry’s tender commit-
tee, indicated that only one
tenderer’s sample whose
principal shareholder is the
doctor, was evaluated as be-
ing acceptable.
Consequently, the con-
tract to supply the goods
was awarded to the doctor’s
company at Sh40 million.
that the Obama adminis-
tration was committed to
helping Kenya fight graft
and to implement other
reforms including a new
constitution.
“It is certainly too early
to say the coalition govern-
ment is not committed in
the fight against corrup-
tion,” he added.
Defending the coalition
government, Raila said
no one would be spared if
found to be involved in any
form of corruption.
“We remain very com-
mitted in fighting corrup-
tion. Where corruption
has been spotted, action
has been taken. And where
action is yet to be taken, it
will be taken,” promised
Act on your
CEO, sugar
board told
The Kenya Sugar Board
has been urged to take
administrative action
against its chief executive
officer and legal officer for
corruption.
The two were found by
the Kenya Anti-Corruption
Commission to have
outsourced legal services
without following the firm’s
regulations.
Despite the existence
of three law firms on the
board’s panel, KACC said,
the CEO gave legal work
amounting to Sh100 mil-
lion to only one firm of
advocates.
KACC said although the
work of the advocates was
sanctioned by the tender
committee, there was an
element of neglect of duty
by the two officers in their
handling of the advocates’
fee note for Sh26 million.
Consequently, the board
incurred expenses in chal-
lenging a taxation case.
AG urged
to sue
prison staff
BY STAR CORRESPONDENT
The Attorney General has
been told to prosecute
the officer in charge of
the Prisons Department’s
Nairobi remand and the
procurement officer for
failure to comply with
procurement law.
This followed investiga-
tions into allegations that
they misappropriated Sh40
million meant for the con-
struction of staff houses.
The Kenya Anti-Cor-
ruption Commission says
the investigations revealed
instances where the pro-
curement procedures were
not followed when buying
Raila. The PM said the
dissolution of the National
Cereals and Produce Board
by Agriculture minister
William Ruto was a clear
indication that the govern-
ment was serious in the
fight against corruption.
He also noted that
Kenya Anti-Corruption
Commission (KACC), the
Criminal Investigations
Department (CID) and
other security agencies
had launched investiga-
tions into the maize scan-
dal saying the state was
awaiting for their reports.
Raila said Kenya was
well placed to deepen its
relations with the US after
Obama became President
last week.