PS disowns inflated price list as Waiguru faces EACC
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Mr Mangiti at a news conference said the document included a number of non-asset expenditure items which should not have been in the list, adding that investigations had been launched to establish how an erroneous report was made public.
Similarly, on the Yamaha Piano, which PAC was said to have cost Sh235,000, Mr Mangiti said it was procured through a quotation method in line with the procurement law and regulations.
Adobe In-design Cs6 software at a cost of Sh1.9 million despite the fact that it is available for $30 (Sh3060) a month.
A new twist has emerged over the Devolution ministry’s purchase of goods and services at inflated prices after Principal Secretary Peter Mangiti Monday said the document he presented to Parliament contained errors.
Mr Mangiti at a news conference said the document included a number of non-asset expenditure items which should not have been in the list, adding that investigations had been launched to establish how an erroneous report was made public.
His statement comes amid pressure for his boss and the Planning secretary Anne Waiguru to step aside due the procurement irregularities in her docket.
Ms Waiguru last week shifted the blame for the irregularities to Mr Mangiti arguing that only accounting officers are answerable for procurement irregularities. She is expected to record a statement with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission today to shed light on the irregularities in her ministry.
“What we presented to Parliament was still the raw working list that was attached as annex five to the document that I erroneously submitted to the Public Accounts Committee,” said Mr Mangiti.
“Some of the descriptions of the items were incomplete, rendering them subject to various interpretations. For instance, the integrated performance monitoring dashboard screen had been indicated as a TV when it’s not,” he said.
Piano
The document indicated the purchase of a Sh1.8 million touch screen television and a state-of-the-art boardroom cost taxpayers millions of shillings. The purchase of 20 ball point pens for the Huduma Kenya secretariat was recorded to have cost Sh174,000 - translating to Sh8,700 per pen.
But the PS said the ministry bought 50 dozens or 600 pens at a unit cost of Sh290 each and not Sh8,670.
Similarly, on the Yamaha Piano, which PAC was said to have cost Sh235,000, Mr Mangiti said it was procured through a quotation method in line with the procurement law and regulations.
Other items bought at inflated prices include 100 units of 4 Giga Bites (GB) flash disks for Huduma Kenya secretariat at Sh242,500 in November 2013 – meaning each flash disk cost the taxpayer Sh2,425 compared to a market price of less than Sh1,000.
Adobe In-design Cs6 software at a cost of Sh1.9 million despite the fact that it is available for $30 (Sh3060) a month.
Software, Corel draw and 13 full parks for the Huduma Kenya secretariat cost the taxpayers a whopping Sh3.44 million.
Mr Mangiti said the errors were not intentional and was hard pressed to explain the source of the incorrect information.
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