Woman in Sh4b deal can’t recall bank accounts

Kilig Director Limited Ivy Onyango before the Public Investments Committee (PIC) on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, regarding consideration of a special audit report on the utilization of Covid-19 funds  [David Njaaga,Standard]

A director of a firm that won a Sh4 billion contract with Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) yesterday shocked a parliamentary committee with claims that she could not recall details of bank accounts and signatories.

Ivy Minyow Onyango told MPs probing alleged corruption in the supply of Covid-19 items to Kemsa that she needed two days to consult before making full disclosure about bank accounts belonging to Kilig Limited as well as the signatories.

The remarks stunned members of the Public Investments Committee (PIC) as Ms Onyango is listed as the sole director of the company which was awarded a Sh4 billion tender for the procurement of 450,000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) at Sh9,000 per unit.

At some point, Onyango ended up in a heated exchange with the committee members, forcing the team chaired by Abdulswamad Nassir to give her a five-minute break to consult.

But even after making phone calls, she insisted that she did not have the accurate answer about the signatories and bank accounts held by the firm.

The firm did not supply the PPEs after the deal was cancelled by Kemsa following queries on the tendering process.

“Kindly allow me to provide clear answers to these questions to avoid a situation where I may say something that is not accurate. I am ready but I still don’t have responses the committee is seeking,” she told the MPs.

She said she entered into contracts with a Chinese manufacturing and distribution firm for purposes of the deal.

But when asked about the company, she said she could not remember where its offices are, infuriating the MPs who concluded that she could be protecting certain people behind the deal.

“There were various partners we entered into joint ventures with. I think there is an Equity Bank account and SBM Bank account. I would request that you allow me more time to consult so that I can have a basis for certain disclosures,” she said.

PIC chairperson Mr Nassir and Ruaraka MP T.J. Kajwang’ expressed shock that the director of the firm could not remember basic information despite seeking a deal worth billions.

“You cannot tell us that you were seeking to do a business worth Sh4 billion but cannot remember the signatories to the bank account. You told us you are the sole director, how can it be that you don’’t  have these basic information? We are asking you in fairness but you are not giving us the information we need,” said Nassir.

Mr Kajwang’ raised concerns about why the director had to consult before providing any information about the company when it was on record that she was the sole director.

“I have lost the steam in questioning you because you seem to have some people out there who are more important to you than this committee. You keep telling us that you need to consult. I told you before that you can go down with them or choose to redeem yourself,” said Kajwang’.

Maragwa MP Mary Wamaua said the decision by Onyango to take the committee round in circles could be part of a larger scheme to obstruct the team from getting to the bottom of the matter.

Kilig Limited has changed ownership three times since its incorporation in January last year.

Documents presented to the committee by Registrar of Companies Sarah Ndung’u show that the firm was registered on January 22, 2020, with its directors as Zhu Jinping and Willbroda Gachoka.

In April last year, the two transferred their shares to Collins Bush Wanjala, who later handed them over to Ivy Minyow Onyango in May. Ivy said she paid Bush Sh10,000 for the transfer of the shares.

Bush is the first born son to Budalangí MP Raphael Wanjala, who is also a member of the committee. It is Wanjala who declared the information to the committee.

Onyango had last year declined to share details of the previous directors of the company when she appeared before the committee. It also emerged that it is Onyango who facilitated the registration of the company.

“I facilitated the incorporation of the company. I am the one who received instructions for the incorporation. Any incorporation can only be done using the director’s accounts on the e-citizen platform,” she told the committee.