“By awarding the tender to the Advertising Agency, the Authority made a saving of Sh2,546,428″/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 17 – The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has come to the defence of six senior officials arrested over procurement irregularities, saying no money was lost in an advertising tender.
Board Chairman Ngene Gituku explained that in 2014, the Authority invited tenders for the renovation of its exhibition stand at the Nairobi Agricultural Society of Kenya show ground from the list of its pre-qualified contractors.
He pointed out that the tender committee in its deliberations noted that the tender sum for the lowest evaluated bid of Sh4.4 million was quite high.
“Upon completion of the tender evaluation, a report was submitted to the Authority’s tender committee for consideration of award of tender. The tender committee in its deliberations, noted that the tender sum for the lowest evaluated bid of Shs4,474,000 was unreasonably high considering that the Authority had undertaken similar works in the previous year,” he stated.
He stated that the committee recommended the cancellation of the tender and that the service be done by the Authority’s Advertising Agency which quoted a total tender sum of Sh1.9 million.
“By awarding the tender to the Advertising Agency, the Authority made a saving of Sh2,546,428 (as compared to the initial lowest evaluated bid of Sh4,474,000). From the foregoing, it is clear that no public funds were lost; instead public resources were saved,” he stated.
He pointed out that the Authority remains committed to compliance with all the public procurement laws and regulations and prudent use of public resources.
On Thursday, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives arrested six senior officials drawn from the Communications Authority of Kenya over procurement irregularities and they are expected in court.
This followed a consent by Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji to arraign the suspects in court.
The anti-graft body was also pursuing three other officials including former Director Consumer and Public Affairs at CA Mutua Muthusi, Tender Committee Member Peris Nkonge and CA Secretary and Secretary General of the African Telecommunications Union John Omo.
The six are in trouble over procurement irregularities detected during the awarding of tenders for renovation of the Authorities Agriculturalist Society of Kenya show stand.
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