This archive report was first published on 30 April 2021.
Published on April 30, 2021, the World Bank donated Sh2.5 billion to Taita Taveta County for water and sanitation projects.
Members of the joint committees on Public Accounts and Investment, as well as Water, have expressed frustration over the county executive's reluctance to explain how the Sh859 million was used.
According to PAC Chairman Anselim Mwadime, the executive must produce documents, including evidence that the procurement process was done as per the law.
“We are the legislative arm of the county government. It is wrong for the executive to frustrate our oversight role. We are inviting the Ethics And Anti-Corruption Commission and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to investigate how the World Bank funds were used because little appears to have been done,” said Mwadime.
During a meeting, Water Chief Officer Silvanus Mwakoma and Taita Taveta Water and Sewerage Company (Tavevo) Managing Director Richard Ngwatu were grilled over the money.
They failed to bring vital documents, including bank statements, explaining use of the donor funds, and details of the 11 bidding firms and an evaluation report on the donor-funded projects.
Majority Leader Harris Keke stated, “We demanded to see names of the 11 firms that placed bids to supply goods and services and how the executive picked the winning firm. The executive has to bear the responsibility of failing to cooperate with the House,”
Tavevo technical manager Partick Wadu disclosed the water firm had received a loan of Sh1.49 billion and a grant of Sh800 million, as well as another Sh210 million in grants from the county administration.
Marungu MCA Paul Waweru accused Governor Granton Samboja of protecting corrupt Tavevo officials, saying, “Residents have no water despite the huge resources provided by the World Bank,”
