President William Ruto's economic advisor, David Ndii, has disclosed how the Head of State cornered government officials who were set to pocket Ksh314,000 more per piece of equipment procured for a government project.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ndii claimed that the unnamed officials exaggerated the price of each piece of equipment from Ksh86,000 to Ksh400,000.
He added that the rot was unearthed during a review of the procurement by Ruto and his economic experts.
According to the economic expert, the President asked for the actual price of the equipment minus the bonus the officials were making, prompting them to quote Ksh300,000 as the actual price. They thus lied that they would make Ksh100,000 as a commission.
Ruto, alarmed by the response, asked for the supplier's phone number and contacted him to ascertain the actual prices. True to his fears, the officials had inflated the budget to swindle the government Ksh314,000 on equipment worth Ksh86,000.
"Let me tell you a story. The President is reviewing an emergency procurement with some bureaucrats. There’s a piece of equipment priced at Ksh400,000 per unit with a substantial budget. He asks how much without commissions. They say Ksh300,000.
"He (Ruto) asks for the supplier’s contact, calls gets a quote for Ksh86,000," he stated.
Ndii added that one of his colleagues was enraged with the findings, even pushing for Ruto to sack the officials as a warning to other unscrupulous government employees.
"After meeting, an outraged colleague follows him to his office and asks him whether he’ll let them get away with it. President: I’d have to fire everyone," the advisor revealed.
Ndii made the revelation in response to the public outrage that ensued after the Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang'o disclosed how Treasury officials extrapolated her salary budget three times.
The remarks by Ruto's advisor agitated a section of Kenyans, which called for decisive action to be taken in the fight against corruption.
A section of online users also demanded that the officials be named and shamed for abusing their offices.
