On Tuesday, March 5, a former employee at the Bungoma County Woman Representative’s office voiced her concerns about how a flawed procurement case jeopardized her safety.
The case under investigation by the National Assembly Decentralized Funds Accounts Committee involves the procurement of 1,200 water tanks at Ksh12 million at the lawmaker’s office.
However, in 2017, the water tanks mysteriously disappeared from the county offices resulting in a court case.Â
Two men ferrying a water tank for installation at an apartment in Nairobi County.
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Construction Kenya
She revealed that the scandal led to her losing her job at the county leaving her at a loss. She further revealed that she, alongside her family, was receiving threats.
“When I was fired, the reasons why I left the office of the County Woman Representative were occasioned by volatile political activities in the office and its surrounding, posing a risk to me as a single mother and my children,” she told the committee.
Additionally, the lady revealed that the scandal prevented her from securing any gainful employment as her image was damaged.
This is despite her being cleared by the courts of any wrongdoing in the procurement mishap.
Meanwhile, the committee chairperson, Mwingi Central’s Gideon Mulyungi, raised questions about the whereabouts of the tanks from 2017 to the present. He sought clarification on how such a large quantity of water tanks could vanish from the office premises without detection.
One member of the committee asked the  National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) CEO Roy Telewa to explain how the tanks were yet to be recovered since 2017.
“Why is the CEO not telling us where the tanks are? Stating that the officer before us today is not culpable without giving us any tangible solutions to the mess she was thrown into is not satisfactory. What measures has the CEO and his team undertaken to ensure this does not happen again?” one member questioned.
According to the CEO, the team encountered challenges when handling the matter. He noted that it was necessary to review the NGAAF’s operational and procurement protocols.
Further, Telewa emphasized the importance of providing permanent and pensionable employment terms for NGAAF coordinators at the county level to instil confidence in their roles.
Roy Sasaka Telewa CEO of the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) speaking on September 25, 2023
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Roy Sasaka Telewa
