Wajir governor woes deepens after being impeached
Ousted Wajir Governor Mohamed Abdi Mohamed’s woes deepened yesterday after anti-graft body detectives trained their guns on the county administration over alleged theft of public funds and procurement malpractices through dubious tendering process related to food stuffs by the regional government.
In a move that could see the governor and his executives paraded in court to answer to corruption charges on Tuesday, the same day, the governor was impeached, then the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) demanded to be provided with documents and payments related to tender.
“EACC is investigating an alleged embezzlement of public funds and procurement malpractices in the award of the tender number WCG/H/DT/002/2019-2020 for the supply and delivery of infectious prevention commodities by Wajir County government,” David Ikimat says in the letter sent to the County Secretary Abdullahi Maalim Hassan.
“To facilitate this investigation, kindly provide this commission with originals of the documents,” the letter adds.
According to Twalib Mbarak-led commission, Mahamud’s administration should provide original newspaper advertisement, Tender Purchase and opening register, copies of tender receipts and bid documents.
Besides, EACC has also directed the devolved unit to provide letters appointing the tender opening committee and tender evaluation and technical analysis committee and its minutes.
Individual score-sheet by tender evaluation committee members, letter of professional opinion, notification of award letter to the winning firm and regret letters to losing bidders, acceptance letter by winning bidder is also needed.
The administration is also required to provide contract document signed between the procuring entity and successful bidders, inspection and acceptance certificates for the supplies and all payment vouchers to the contractor.
Furthermore, EACC wants to see approved procurement plan budget estimates for the financial year 2019/2020 and bank statements of Wajir county government where money was paid from, contractors’ bank account details where the money was paid into, receipts letters for tranches of money received from the contractor and any other document relating to this project as may be pointed out by the commission.
“Our officers will be available to collect the documents on May 5th 2020,” the EACC letter concludes.
