Uhuru's Office Under EACC Investigation

The Office of the President is under investigation over alleged irregularity in the Sh1.4 Billion procurement of three MI-17 Police helicopters, that are said to be below the safety standards required.

The Ethics and Anti corruption Commission (EACC) has already started the scrutiny in the said irregular purchase, that also involved the acquisition of pistols, guns, body armour and armored vehicles.

The tender which was awarded to a foreign company called Lompraha from the Czech Republic, was marred by confusion even after the it was published through the office of the Inspector General on March 20th 2015, and later removed three days before it expired on April 28th.

A Russian arms dealer firm, Sparc Zao, wrote to the EACC on August 15th this year, claiming that there was massive corruption in the procurement of the three choppers and the police equipment by the office of the President.

"The tenders were cancelled three days prior to the closing date of April 28. We only learnt later that the cancellations were suspect because they secretly limited the so-called manufacturers in breach of the law. We also suspect that there were other purchases done in June for police equipment, which are in breach of procurement laws," wrote Elatt Limited Managing Director Wesley Kipkore on behalf of Sparc Zao and Rosoboronet Export.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery however, downplayed the claims noting that the cartels in the security industry, who lost in the procurement were behind the accusations.

The CS declined to divulge the actual amount set to be used in acquiring the choppers, even as sources privy to the matter told The Standard that each plane would cost approximately Sh450 Million.

 

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