Days after media reports alleging rampant procurement fraud at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), the Authority says it has commenced investigations into the matter.
KPA on Wednesday, May 28, said it had invited relevant agencies to independently review the procurement matters in question in line with its values and accountability.
This is after a popular newspaper alleged a string of graft dealings, spanning from inflated contracts to secret tenders and blatant breaches of procurement laws.
In the newspaper headline dubbed 'KPA Billions Loot', the media house claimed that KPA pushed through over Ksh100 billion with no records of the said dealings.
The media house further disclosed that in one of the deals, about Ksh8.3 billion was reportedly used to construct a road, while Ksh2.3 billion was used in procuring a crane tender.
"In line with our values of openness and accountability, we, KPA, have proactively invited relevant oversight agencies to independently review the procurement matters in question," KPA announced.
Despite inviting independent agencies to investigate the allegations, the Authority took a swipe at the media house, accusing it of allegedly misrepresenting facts.
According to KPA, the exposé published by the newspaper did not reflect the facts or its operational standards, adding that it was committed to the highest standards of governance and accountability.
"These media reports do not reflect the facts or the operational standards of KPA. As a responsible public institution, KPA remains firmly committed to the highest standards of corporate governance," the Authority stated.
KPA went ahead to assure Kenyans that its procurement processes strictly adhered to the Public Procurement and Disposal Act 2015 and were subject to robust internal checks.
The Authority revealed that it conducted an internal preliminary assessment, which indicated that the documents cited in the media reports were either taken out of context or misinterpreted.
"We assure our stakeholders, partners, and the public that KPA's systems are structured to uphold integrity and transparency at every stage. Any clarification or information required will be provided through the appropriate channels in an open and timely manner," KPA noted.
