Bungoma County’s former Woman Representative Reginalda Wanyonyi appeared before the Decentralized Funds Accounts Committee to make her case about alleged fraudulent procurement of 1,200 water tanks during her tenure.
Speaking before the delegation of MPs led by chairman Gideon Mulyungi (Mwingi East), the former County MP asserted that her then NGAAF Accounts Coordinator had blindsided her in the questionable purchase and distribution of water tanks worth Kshs. 12 Million.
“On 8th July 2017 at the stadium we distributed the tanks which as you can see in the photos, were less than reported. After that, I never saw any other tanks,” Stated Wanyonyi.
According to the former MP, the water tanks project came at the peak of general election campaigns, which she cited as the major loophole her former employees took advantage of to defraud the County.
“I never knew we had a strained relationship with the Coordinator at the time, I am learning that now. The hundreds of tanks seen in the photos are all I saw, nothing beyond.” She added.
Questioning why the former Coordinator Irene Wanyonyi had misled the Committee in her three previous appearances that her former boss knew about the transactions, the MPs demanded that she submits a true account of her participation in the fraud, and mention anyone else involved.
“This Committee is very disappointed to learn that the individuals charged with distributing these tanks to the needy people took advantage of the situation and even gave their family members tanks as these witnesses have demonstrated here today.” Said Majjadonk Benjamin (Embakasi Central).
Also appearing before the Committee today was the supplier of the said water tanks who intimated that officers from the Woman Rep’s Office approached him about the job, unmasking a breach of the Public Procurement procedures.
Other beneficiaries of the tanks who made submissions before the Committee included Women Groups, Secondary and Primary School Headteachers, Church leaders, among others.
Most notable, was the fact that these witnesses told the Committee that they received either just one or two tanks each, contrary to the reports before the Legislators which indicated that they received between fifteen and twenty five tanks per group.
This, according to the lawmakers, points to negligence to safeguard public reaources on the part of the then Woman Representative, as well as her entire team.
The Committee is set to write a report and make recommendations on how the matter should be resolved, bearing in mind the amount of money in question; as well as the whereabouts of the other tanks that reportedly went missing from the Storage area awaiting distribution.
Read More:
Politician Charged For Defrauding Businessmen Ksh24 Million
How 5 Officials Defrauded Government Kshs20.4 Million In A Ghost Project
