Elgeyo-Marakwet County Governor Alex Tolgos has a date with detectives from the anti-graft agency Thursday to answer questions over allegations of irregularities in the award of a Sh200 million fuel supply tender.
Mr Tolgos confirmed that he has been summoned by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), but he said doesn’t know the agenda.
“It is true I’ve been summoned to appear before the EACC but I don’t know exactly for what reason. I’ll get back to you tomorrow once I get the contents of the summons,” Mr Tolgos told the Nation on phone.
SUSPICIOUS CONTRACTS
He said that his administration will continue cooperating with EACC and offer them any information they require.
“Almost all counties get letters from EACC requesting some information. We’ve been able to deliver all the information they require. We are readily available to avail all the data they require,” said Mr Tolgos.
Sources told the Nation that detectives are investigating award of contracts worth millions of shillings to companies associated with the county boss.
EACC Chief Executive Twalib Mbarak in a letter to the governor said that the commission has been conducting investigations into allegations of procurement irregularities in the devolved unit during the 2014/2015, 2015/2016, 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 financial years.
“You are hereby invited for an interview and statement recording at the Integrity Centre located at Jakaya Kikwete-Valley Road junction on November 14 at 9am. The governor should carry all original documents in respect the summon,” the letter reads in part.
Detectives are also said to be looking into claims that senior county government officials have been awarding contracts worth millions of shillings to companies associated to them.
Of concern to detectives is the award of contracts worth Sh100 million between 2014 and 2018 to various companies through dubious means.
EACC is also said to be looking into allegations that that since 2016, companies associated with the governor were awarded contracts amounting to Sh80 million in other counties.
In June 30, 2018, former Auditor General Edward Ouko flagged transactions he claimed breached the law in Elgeyo-Marakwet County.
The auditor general had issue with, among others, payment of Sh13 million to 1,702 temporary employees without evidence of approval from the Public Service Board.
The audit report also noted that Sh31.8 million was paid to a company in respect to proposed construction of a pavilion at Kamariny Stadium.
However, the Auditor General report revealed that a physical verification in January 2018 revealed the project is incomplete.
“The expenditure of Sh13.8 million incurred in the construction of the stadium could not be confirmed,” the audit report stated.