Team on Managed Equipment Services query extends term
Hillary Mageka @hillarymageka
A Senate ad hoc committee investigating the Sh63 billion leased medical equipment under the controversial Managed Equipment Services (MES) has been given 34 more days after it sought for an extension to conclude its work.
In a motion moved by the committee vice-chairperson Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula yesterday, it said there was new evidence arising from the inquiry that needs to be addressed.
“All the hearings have been concluded, a raw draft of the report is nearing completion.
All things being equal, the House is to go for a recess about a month at the end of the sitting.
The committee has done a sterling job in trying to unearth, a difficult situation where each county has been paying Sh200 million towards a suspect scheme,” said Wetang’ula.
“We want as a committee to bring to the House, a report that is deep, well researched, and factual and brings a conclusive and definitive report to this House to end this saga,” he added.
On recess
He regretted that had it not been that the House was not going to recess, his committee would have concluded the work and presented the report to the House.
“The members of the committee have been committed to the job and attendance has been full, all asking inquisitive questions.
I urge the senate to allow us this extension, so that we are able to bring the report on September 8,” he added, insisting that his team did not intend to seek further extension.
The motion was approved by the plenary with Senators Millicent Omanga (Nominated), Isaac Mwaura (Nominated) and Christopher Langat (Bomet) supporting the Wetang’ula.
The committee formed in September 9, 2019, to find out whether there was a ripped off in the controversial medical kits deal is chaired by Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo, and has been probing the programme for nearly a year now.
Term extensions
However, the committee probe has been riddled with controversies and numerous extension of their term on grounds that key witness who is supposed to travel to the country to explain the contract is yet to do so because of the Covid-19 pandemic travel restrictions and the new evidence had grounded its progress.
People Daily has learnt that latest extension by the committee may have been as a result of undue pressure, bullying and intimidation from forces that have come to familiar with parliament probes,
The first extension was in November 12, 2019, followed by another on January 21, 2020 after its term had expired on December 26, last year.
At the time, the committee was granted a 45-day extension to enable it to conclude its investigation in March, this year.
That month, the committee sought another 60-day extension to July 14, 2020, where it also sought additional 21 days to conclude the report.
And with the numerous extension, the committee has spent millions of shillings in its sittings, examination of witnesses, local travel, foreign travels and miscellaneous expenses.
According to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) rates of 2017, after taxation, a parliamentary committee chairperson is entitled to a Sh12,000 sitting allowance, vice chairperson (Sh7,000) while ordinary members get Sh5,000 respectively.
Hefty payments
Since the committee started its work, they have had at least 60 sittings in which going by SRC recommendations the chairperson has earned Sh720,000, vice Sh420,000 and the other seven members Sh300,000 each.
In total, the nine member committee has earned Sh2.86 million in sitting allowances alone.
Millions have been paid to the committee in sitting allowances and foreign visits as they conducted the investigations in the multi-billion scandal.
The committee members include senators Fatuma Dullo (Isiolo), Wetang’ula (Bungoma), Enock Wambua (Kitui), Stewart Madzayo (Kilifi), Mwangi Githiomi (Nyandarua), Christopher Langat (Bomet), nominated senators Milicent Omanga, Judith Pareno and Mary Seneta.
