The Public Investment Committee (PIC) probe of the KEMSA COVID-19 scandal was a sideshow and waste of money and time.

Like others before, the PIC Report will be tabled in Parliament and left to gather dust. This Committee summons people for drama and dropping names of VIPs.

In a choreographed fashion to hoodwink the public they want to reach the core of the scandals.

David Murathe was summoned for being big fish, Uhuru’s confidante to provide the desired drama of grilling the high.

Public domain

It was in public domain that he would drop the name of the Deputy President (DP). It was meaningless and playing to public gallery for Murathe to appear before PIC.

The company at the centre is Kilig Ltd. It was awarded a Ksh. 4 b tender to supply physical Protection Equipment (PPEs). Murathe was its guarantor.

He would be the victim if Kilig Ltd failed to pay Entec Technology Ltd, the Chinese company that would have supplied the PPEs through Kilig Ltd (broker).

Cancellation of the tender

The tender was cancelled. The company didn’t supply the PPEs or air, as usual. The Ksh. 4 b was, therefore, not paid.

There is no value that Murathe and DP will add in the KEMSA COVID-19 probe, their connection with Kilig Ltd notwithstanding.

The contract was cancelled before delivery of the goods. The President gave investigative agencies twenty one (21) days to conduct and complete the KEMSA probe.

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Presidents silence

The President went silent and PIC emerged to take centre stage. Whom does the public trust? These are games the Executive and Parliament have perfected.

To buy time for Kenyans to forget corruption scandals before new ones emerge. It’s a circus. No culprits except one have been convicted and sentenced for the following few selected reminder scandals:

Ksh. 200 billion Eurobond, Ksh. 95 billion Kenya Pipeline Company, Ksh. 63 billion – Managed Equipment Services (MES) – Health Ministry, Ksh. 21 billion Kimwarer and Arror dam scandals.

Other scandals

Ksh. 11.3 billion maize scandal (2019), Ksh. 10.5 billion NYS II, Ksh. 7.8 billion KEMSA COVID-19 scandal, Ksh. 7.6 billion Triton oil scandal, Ksh. 7.3 billion Galana-Kulalu food security project.

Ksh. 6.0 billion KPLC, Ksh. 5.0 billion Afya House scandal, Ksh. 3.6 billion NIB couldn’t account for. Ksh. 3.0 billion Maize scandal (2009), Ksh. 2.0 billion KPC, Kisumu oil jetty.

Ksh. 1.9 billion NCPB irregular maize purchase, Ksh. 1.8 billion maize importation scandal, Ksh. 1.0 billion NHIF thro’ Jambo pay, Ksh. 1.0 billion Mobile clinics, Health Ministry.

Culprits convicted and sentenced to jail

Ksh. 0.47 billion KPLC fictitious contracts, Ksh. 0.30 billion maize scandal (the culprits were convicted and sentenced to jail terms.

The country lost a total of Ksh. 457.4 billion in the above selected scandals. This money was shared between tenderpreneurs and public servants.

The general population is, heavily, taxed to pay the debts and accruing interest from this borrowed money that ended up in private pockets.

The Executive and the Legislature

It can’t happen without the connivance between the Executive and the Legislature. It’s a lack of political goodwill that ensures there is inadequate or compromised oversight.

It boils down to the selection and election of tenderpreneurs into appointive and elective positions. God loves Kenya.

Otherwise, we could be a failed state.

Read more at https://thebigissue.co.ke