Foreign Affairs CS Dr. Monica Juma can now breath easy as MPs in the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) cleared her of any wrongdoing in a Ksh3.5 billion police and prison officers insurance scandal.
The legislators took note that Juma was not in charge of the accounts at the time when the deal was signed.
The recommendation of the PAC, in its report on the accounts of the national government for financial year 2015/16 which is under consideration in the House, nullifies a previous sanction by the same team.
She had been accused of irregularly allocating a tender to the highest bidder while she served as Interior Principal Secretary (PS).
The MPs shifted the blame to Mutea Iringo who was the then Interior PS and was said to be the accounting officer at the time.
This came after CS Juma was questioned on why she effected a part of the contract upon succeeding Iringo on August 20, 2014, despite the Auditor-General’s adverse findings and caution.
The committee revealed the tender was awarded to Pioneer Assurance who had bid Ksh1.75 billion although Britam Insurance company had placed a Ksh696 million bid for the same tender.
Nation reported that although Iringo had tried to explain to the Committee why the contract was awarded to Pioneer, the committee wants investigative agencies to initiate thorough and conclusive investigations and make appropriate recommendations within three months upon adoption of the report.
