Muriithi risks date with EACC over Sh34.7m insurance deal
A Senate watchdog committee has threatened to recommend to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi over Sh34.7 million insurance cover for workers and motor vehicles.
This is after Muriithi, who appeared before the Senate County Public Accounts and Investment Committee (CPAIC), failed to table documents to support his procurement deal with four insurance firms.
The governor, alongside top county finance officers, was at pains to explain why his officials breached the procurement laws and regulations in settling on the companies to offer insurance services.
“This is a matter that we are going to invite the EACC to probe. This query has now turned into a serious issue. You have come all the way from Laikipia with half-backed documentation,” committee chairman Senator Moses Kajwang said.
In 2018, the county government procured four insurance companies for Sh 35 million to provide cover for the staff and vehicles. They included Monarch Insurance Company Ltd, Amaco Insurance Company Limited, CIC Insurance Company Ltd and Britam Insurance Company Ltd.
However, the auditor flagged the procurement plans after the county officers failed to provide necessary documents for audit. “Tender evaluation minutes and policy documents for the insurance covers were not provided for audit review,” Auditor General said in the report.
The Senate committee ordered the governor and his finance officers to provide the documentation by close of business today to substantiate the procurement plan or it invite the anti-graft agency to investigate the deal.
Senators Kimani Wamatangi (Kiambu), John Kinyua (Laikipia) and Sam Ongeri (Kisii) accused the governor of having underhand dealings in the procuring the insurance firms.
However, Governor Muriithi refuted the claims and promised to submit the documents.
The governor, who was appearing to answer to Auditor General’s queries for the 2017/2018 financial year, was also put to task over the procurement of drugs from the Kenya Medical and Supplies Authority (Kemsa).
