, Kidero says media reports are unfounded and malicious and bent on tarnishing his reputation as the authors did not seek his side of the story/FILE
In a statement sent to newsrooms, Kidero says media reports are unfounded and malicious and bent on tarnishing his reputation as the authors did not seek his side of the story.
“The explanation for the poor financial health of MSC will not be found by pointing sinister fingers at innocent people, either maliciously or because of culpable ignorance. Focus should be on what really ails the company. If anything has gone wrong after I left, surely I cannot be held responsible,” said Kidero.
He dismissed the contents of an audit report by KPMG linking him to the billion shilling scam, claiming that the contents were unjustified, his opinion was not sought, and that the report was a draft.
Kidero was adamant that he had made a fortune for the company since when he joined, it had made a loss of Sh244,858,000 but after a nine year stint, the miller had made cumulative profits of Sh14,825,557,000.
Kidero instead accused his former colleagues of feigning ignorance on matters they approved together.
“The people who have since been charged with running the company should answer questions on the woes betiding MSC. With insignificant changes here and there, the board of directors remains the same as it was when I joined the company,” he added
The Nairobi County boss went ahead to accuse the current management of fleecing the miller by increasing their salaries and allowances adding that at the current rate, it would be difficult to know what really ails the sugar company.
KPMG, an audit firm has named 20 people among them, Kidero and his successor Peter Kebati as those responsible for the procurement, commercial and importation scandals that have rocked the miller bringing it to its knees.
Kidero is accused of awarding questionable tenders during his tenure, including a multimillion fertilizer supply tender to an individual who had already sent a quotation prior to the commencement of the tendering process, a tender for pest control and fumigation services to a company without the approval tender committee, issuing a tender to a company to supply Urea, without the knowledge of the tender committee and the sale of the miller’s strategic assets to a competitor among others.
“Allegations on unilateral awarding of tenders, sale of export sugar on the local market and irregular procurement are entirely devoid of any grain of validity. Suffice it to say that MSC had full proof procedures and control mechanisms that would never allow such anomalies to take place,” said Kidero.
Bumula legislator Bonface Otsiula last week petitioned the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to hastily investigate the rot in the sugar milling company as sugarcane farmers have not been paid for months now.
During his appearance before the National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs committee to give a brief on the status of the graft cases it has been probing, EACC Chairman Mumo Matemu said they had received a petition from Mumias residents on the corruption allegations and were probing the matter.
