Public servants still using guzzlers

PHOTO: COURTESY

On June 30, 2013, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich said some ministers and members of constitutional commissions had defied Government austerity measures and bought expensive limousines.

At the time of the stern warning, top officials had bought at least 30 Mercedes Benz vehicles in one month alone. Some of the officials had also irregularly allocated themselves chase cars.

The measure was also aimed at monitoring the usage of cars. With uniform vehicles, all State officials would be expected to keep an inventory of their journeys, with corresponding distances travelled and fuel used.

Experts said if implemented properly, the Government policy on 1,800cc vehicles for ministers and top civil servants would save on fuel and maintenance expenses.

Before going for the VW Passat, the Government conducted a comprehensive audit on its vehicles. A report from this audit established Government officials' misuse of vehicles assigned to them.

Mr Rotich said that the Government would not condone lavish spending and that his ministry had not authorised the purchase of new vehicles. He said no money had been allocated to buy cars in the 2013-2014 financial year.

He said any ministry or county government that bought new cars would be acting illegally and in contravention of the Government's transport policy.

However, he acknowledged that some of the new vehicles being used by top officials were paid for from allocations made in the previous financial year.

"The circular on transport policy still remains. It is clear that we have not allocated any money for people to buy cars," he said.

The Cabinet secretaries with extra police escorts have been disrupting traffic in Nairobi by forcing their way through on the wrong side of the road at rush hour.

"I am surprised that some people have allocated themselves chase cars. This should not be the case unless your level of security is due to some anticipated risks," said Rotich.

It was also revealed that one CS ordered two Mercedes Benz vehicles in the rush to beat the deadline for the financial year.

And according to Rotich, some Cabinet secretaries had complained that the cars allocated to them were not in good condition.

However, the National Treasury insisted that official cars used by Cabinet ministers in the last government should be reallocated for use by those serving now.

As Finance minister in June 2010, Uhuru Kenyatta announced a new transport policy banning the use of Mercedes Benz limousines and other luxury vehicles and fuel guzzlers. Cabinet ministers were asked to exchange the limousines for Passats of not more than 1,800cc.

Since then, the Government has been selling luxury cars as part of a wider campaign to reduce its transport bill. A total of 5,955 vehicles, among them Mercedes Benz and Toyota Land Cruisers, have been surrendered by Government ministries and departments.

The move was meant to save the Government at least Sh2 billion a year on fuel and maintenance costs.

A total of 1,597 vehicles with higher engine capacity have been sold, raising Sh356 million.

The disposal of the surrendered vehicles was put on hold after the Transition Authority blocked the process.

By the time of implementing the Government policy on vehicle use, 76 out of the 135 vehicles advertised for sale within Nairobi had been sold, raising Sh61 million.

"We have developed a Government motor vehicle inventory consisting of a total of 5,955 vehicles, excluding security, ambulance and fire fighting vehicles," said a report prepared by a task force on transport chaired by Boniface Simba.

The continued use of top-of-the-range vehicles by C secretaries and county governments raises concerns about the reluctance by some public officers to adhere to an order issued by the Office of the President to use fuel cards and install a fleet management system to reduce fuel theft and irregular use of Government vehicles.

Due to the fear concerning continued misuse and theft of Government vehicles by some public servants, a proposal had been made to set up a new body to be known as the Government Fleet Management Unit to oversee the management of transport.

Besides the national government officials, eyebrows have been raised regarding the spending of millions of shillings on fuel guzzlers by governors.

In the wake of the Government policy on misuse of Government vehicles, Kisumu County was criticised for setting aside Sh72 million to buy 12 Toyota Prados for county executives and another Sh14 million to buy two Land Rovers for use by senior county officers.