Dj Vnyash
The Nairobi County government is under scrutiny for irregularly awarding tenders worth Ksh.313 million to eight companies for the supply of street lighting materials during the 2022/2023 financial year. This was disclosed in a quarterly report by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), covering reports submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) between April 1, 2024, and June 30, 2024.
The EACC report highlights that the tenders were advertised and awarded to the eight companies on the same day, bypassing the required 14-day waiting period mandated by public procurement laws.
The report further reveals that Local Purchase Orders (LPOs) were signed and issued to suppliers without prior acceptance of the awards, another violation of procurement regulations. Moreover, the contracts were signed without the presence of an accounting officer, who is responsible for ensuring the quality of LPO agreements.
On June 3, 2024, the EACC forwarded the case to the ODPP, recommending charges against those involved in the procurement process, including six counts of corrupt practices, two counts of willful failure to comply with the law, one count of uttering false documents, two counts of forgery, one count of financial misconduct, neglecting official duty, and conspiracy to commit corruption.
The EACC also recommended the cancellation of the signed contracts and disciplinary action against those implicated. However, on July 26, 2024, the DPP returned the file, advising that administrative action be taken against the suspects instead.
