Kisii Governor Simba Arati is currently under investigation by relevant government agencies for hiring a firm to conduct a staff headcount in Kisii County. Documentation reveals that Ksh. 4,571,950 was spent on consultancy services for this headcount, which Arati contracted on November 29, 2022.
The governor has not justified using direct procurement for this contract, as it failed to meet the criteria outlined in Section 103 (2) of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015. Additionally, the final report from this exercise and the minutes from the required ad hoc evaluation committee, as stipulated in Section 104 (b) of the Act, have not been made public.
Moreover, it has come to light that the Kisii County Executive allocated Ksh. 14 million for the initial phases of constructing the Kisii Governor’s Residence. A physical inspection on August 9, 2023, revealed that there was no progress on the project since the last audit on July 14, 2022, raising concerns about the value for money of this expenditure.
Records also indicate that Ksh. 2,400,587 was disbursed to two firms by the Department of Energy, Water, Environment, and Natural Resources. Of this amount, Ksh. 1,402,235 was for the construction of the Nyang’iti Borehole, while Ksh. 998,352 was allocated for the extension of the Endereti Water Project. These firms were procured through the request for quotations method but were not included in the list of prequalified suppliers, violating Section 106 (2) of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015, which mandates that procurement be directed to registered suppliers.
Lastly, records show that Ksh. 1,125,000 was spent on five smartphones and one tablet purchased by the County Executive and Public Service Board. These devices were distributed to various officers; however, no needs assessment, justification, or policy supporting the purchase of such high-end gadgets was provided.
