Defence PS Saitoti Torome told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that purchase of military hardware is a sensitive matter.
This forced the Opiyo Wandayi-led committee to lock out the media in order for the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to respond to queries Auditor-General Edward Ouko had raised.
The KDF procured the seven stalled military aircraft 10 years ago from the Royal Jordan Airforce through government-to-government negotiations in 2007.
The Ministry of Defence declined to explain how it bought seven fighter jets worth Sh1.5 billion from Jordan that were later found to be defective, saying the matter is classified and cannot be discussed in public.
Defence PS Saitoti Torome told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that purchase of military hardware is a sensitive matter. This forced the Opiyo Wandayi-led committee to lock out the media in order for the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to respond to queries Auditor-General Edward Ouko had raised.
“The ministry views this as a sensitive security matter and we are requesting that the issue be handled under classified information category,” the ministry said in its response to the auditors’ query.
Despite Mr Wandayi and MPs questioning the sensitivity of the matter, they allowed the session to be held in camera.
“They are telling us that they will do for us presentation on the matter in question. They are just trying to cover up,” he said.
The KDF generals led by outgoing army commander Lieutenant General Joseph Kasaon, who accompanied Mr Torome, held the session with the MPs in camera.
Mr Ouko, in his audit report dated March 16, 2017, questioned the purchase of defective fighter jets, which he said are now being used as sources of spare parts.
The KDF procured the seven stalled military aircraft 10 years ago from the Royal Jordan Airforce through government-to-government negotiations in 2007.
He said audit verification of the aircraft, procured at an initial contract sum of $15,291,503 (Sh1.58 billion at current rate), shows that the defects identified at the time of delivery had not been rectified.
“An audit verification of the aircraft was carried out in June 2016 at Laikipia Air Base and…audit of fuel and servicing records indicate that seven aircrafts have not been in operation from the time they were procured,” said Mr Ouko in a qualified audit opinion of the Ministry of Defence for the year to June 2016.
He said an addendum for the purchase of spare parts shows that the ministry procured aircraft spare parts at a cost of $12,956,827 on an unspecified date through restricted tendering instead of procuring directly from the specific aircraft manufacturer.
“I am unable to confirm under the circumstances whether value for money was obtained in the procurement of these spare parts or whether payments for the spare parts were lawfully and effective as required under Article 229(6) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010,” he said in his audit findings.
“The purchase price of aircraft recorded in contract No. RJAF/KAF/2007 dated April 26, 2007 was US$15,291,503,” he said.
Mr Ouko said technical assistance and maintenance services recorded in the agreement No JAC/COMM02/184-GOK dated April 27, 2007 were procured at $12,264,995.
“A direct procurement of supplementary services for the fleet recorded in contract MOSD/JAC/SUPPL/01/2008 was signed on January 30, 2009 for a sum of $2,883,561.
“However, the details of these services have not been provided for audit review contrary to provisions of section 9 (i)(e) and (f) of the Public Audit Act, 2015,” Mr Ouko said.
He said records shows that the aircrafts were delivered, assembled and tested but an inspection undertaken by the ministry’s technocrats revealed a number of defects.
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