This archive report was first published on 24 May 2020.
On May 27, 2020, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) summoned Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok to explain the procurement of a Sh42 million fire engine. The commission suspects that the tender for the fire engine was irregularly awarded to Winston International.
According to an EACC letter, the governor's personal assistant, the head of procurement Richard Emoru Oboo, and the chief officer-finance Joseph Emathe Namuar are also expected to be questioned. An official aware of the probe said a testimony by the proprietor of the company that won the fire engine tender may have led the EACC to suspect that it was irregularly awarded.
The EACC is also investigating Governor Nanok on suspect dealings with Tullow Oil. This is not the first time a governor has faced EACC investigation over suspected graft in their administration. Bungoma Governor Wycliff Wangamati is being investigated over procurement of jerricans to fight Covid-19.
Meanwhile, in Kilifi, the Sh400 million Covid-19 medical facility is at the centre of a probe after it emerged that the construction cost was varied by more than 25 per cent, in violation of the procurement law and regulations. The initial cost of the building was estimated to be Sh300 million, but the figure signed in the contract was Sh400 million.
Twalib Mbarak, EACC's boss, said the commission was investigating the hospital and the equipment supplied to establish whether there was value for money. “Even though it was done to mitigate the effects of coronavirus, we want to establish if there is value for money,” said Mr Mbarak.
