MPS want Devolution Principal Secretary Julius Korir over CT scans

 

Devolution PS Julius Korir. [File, Standard]

MPs want Devolution Principal Secretary Julius Korir and other top Health Ministry officials investigated for involvement in the questionable procurement of Sh7b Computerised Tomography (CT) Scanners.

A report by National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has recommended that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations investigate the role of Korir – then Health PS – for possible criminal culpability.
The report tabled on Tuesday for adoption by the House has also directed the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate directors of a firm in a Sh300 million deal with the Sports Ministry.
M/S Auditel Engineering and Services was contracted to install security equipment in various stadia as the country prepared for the African Nations Championship, Chan 2018 but mysteriously disappeared after it was declared bankrupt, abandoning the project despite pocketing the amount.
Back to the Ministry of Health, the house committee recommended: “The EACC should within three months of tabling and adoption of this report, initiate a forensic investigation into the whole procurement process of the Computerised Tomography (CT) Scanners with a view to establish[ing] whether there was due diligence and fidelity to the Constitution, The Public Procurement and Disposal Act of 2015.”
It adds: “The DCI, within three months upon adoption of this report, initiate an investigation into the roles played by Mr. Julius Korir and other ministry of health officers in the procurement of the CT scans to establish possible criminal culpability,” it adds.
The committee chaired by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi wants the DCI to make appropriate recommendations to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further notice.
The committee observed that the Government-to-Government procurement was not among the methods of procurement provided for under Section 92 of the Public Procurement and Assets Disposal Act.
It also emerged that a delegation of government officials was hosted by Neusoft Medical Systems Co Ltd, a Company the delegation had gone to do due diligence on.
 PS Korir was in the delegation that travelled to China although he was not part of the Due Diligence Committee.
“It was not clear who was the head of the delegation between Dr. Izaq Okoth Odongo, who was the most Senior Officer and Mr. Morang’a Morekwa, who witnessed the signing of the contract. It was not clear which company was visited by the Due Diligence Committee as the report referred to Neusoft Medical System Co Ltd, Pensoft Medical System Co. Ltd and Natursoft Medical Systems Co. Ltd alternately and variously,” the report notes.
The Health Ministry spent Sh1,740,000,000 under specialised plant equipment and machinery paid for CT Scanners. The amount was 20 per cent of the contract value paid as a condition precedent for the Government of Kenya to obtain a loan of Sh7,000,000,000 from the Government of China to finance the purchase of the CT scanners.
On the contract for the installation of security equipment in various stadia, the committee established that upon receiving the sum of Sh330,537,997, M/S Auditel Engineering and Services ‘literally disappeared into thin air’.
The committee’s concerted efforts to have the firm appear before it bore no fruits even as the MPs could not locate offices of the firm, both locally and internationally.
“The EACC should, within three months of tabling and adoption of this report by the House, initiate a comprehensive investigation into M/S Auditel Engineering and Services and all its directors over their engagement with the State Department for Sports Development on the questionable contract,” recommends the report.
The committee further wants that upon establishment of criminal culpability the matter should be referred to the DPP for appropriate actions.
Kenya lost the right to host Chan due to the incomplete refurbishment of stadiums and heightened political temperatures occasioned by the disputed 2017 presidential election.
The watchdog committee further established that in preparation for the CHAN 2018 Kenya was directed to renovate five premium pitches to international standards and 10 training pitches.
 Gregori International was single-sourced by the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Arts upon recommendation by (Confederation of African Football) CAF. The firm did not complete the works as per the contract due to delays in payments by the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts forcing it to abandon works mid-way.
The report has recommended that the Sports Ministry should actualize the original intention of preparing the five stadia to attain Fifa certification to host matches like the CHAN or even Africa Cup of Nations. Currently, the only stadium that is close to attaining the CAF/FIFA and IAAF standards is Kasarani.
The contracts involved the renovation of Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos, Moi Kinoru Stadium in Meru, Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret.
Also to be renovated were ten training pitches that were to be used during the championships.