Roba on the spot over Sh30m armoured cars
Hilary Mageka @hillarymageka
Mandera Governor Ali Roba and his deputy Mohamed Arai are on the spot over the procurement of their official cars that cost the taxpayer a whooping Sh18 million and Sh12 million respectively.
The vehicles, a Toyota Land Cruiser VX was purchased at a time the lives and livelihoods of thousands of nomadic cattle farmers were at stake for lack of water, food and other amenities.
According to Auditor General Nancy Gathungu, the county government, in the Financial Year that ended on June 30, 2019, paid Sh17.3 million against the budgeted Sh18.2 million for the purchase of an armored vehicle for the governor.
“The management procured the vehicle with an engine capacity of 4500cc contravening section 137 (1) of the Public Finance Management (PFMA) County Governments Act 2015, which states that official vehicles purchased for use by governors shall not exceed 2600cc for saloon cars and 3000cc for 4x4 utility vehicles,” Gathungu says in the report.
“Further, it was noted that full payment of Sh17.3 million was made on May 10, 2019 but audit verification on December 4, 2019 revealed that the vehicle had not been delivered,” the Auditor adds.
In the circumstances, the Auditor said, it was not possible to determine the value of the vehicles procured during the year under review.
Official vehicles
During the same period, the management also procured a Land Cruiser motor vehicle at a cost of Sh12 million for use by the Office of the Deputy Governor.
The tender was to be closed on January 8, 2019 at 10:00am and was supposed to be opened immediately on the same day.
However, the tender was opened on January 15, 2019. Further, the engine capacity was 5600cc contrary to section 137(2) of the PFMA Act that limits the capacity to 2400cc for saloon cars and 3000cc for 4X4 utility vehicles.“In the circumstances, the management was in breach of the law,” the auditor noted.
According to PFMA Act, the capacity of official vehicles purchased for use by deputy governors, speakers of county Assemblies and County Executive Committee members is restricted at 2400cc for salon cars and 3000cc for 4X4 utility vehicles.
Regulations were aimed at curbing wasteful expenditure in county governments.
Further, the management procured six ambulances worth Sh63 million using Government negotiated supplies branch contract.
Although the vehicles were supplied and delivered, the management did not avail tender documents, tender evaluation, inspection and acceptance report and a contractual agreement with the supplier contrary to section 135 (2) of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act 2015.
“In the circumstances, it has not been possible to determine the value of the vehicles procured during the year under review,” it says.
