Gov’t monitoring accounts of senior officers in fight against graft

The government is keenly monitoring the accounts and assets of senior officers in a bid to stem rising cases of graft in the country.

According to the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, cases of graft were on the rise leading to a loss of billions of shillings, a move that had adversely affected service delivery.

Koskei noted that already, tens of public service officers had recorded statements with EACC and DCI while suspicious accounts with millions of shillings had been frozen.

The Chief of Staff called on the judiciary to assist in the fight against runway corruption mainly in the procurement departments and counties by fast-tracking graft cases.

“We are putting on notice government officers involved in graft that they will carry their cross as we have to deal with this vice that has tarnished the name of the government,” he said.

Addressing the press on the sidelines of the ongoing Women in Procurement and Supply Chain conference in Naivasha, Koskei said that EACC had been funded in the fight.

“We are monitoring accounts of some of the officers suspected of embezzling public funds and they will have to explain how they got the millions,” he said.

Koskei at the same time promised that the government would in a month start paying pending bills as the ongoing verification process was coming to an end.

He reiterated the Government’s commitment to address the issue of pending bills in the country, noting that the Pending Bills Verification Committee (PBVC) would finish the process in a month.

“The committee has been verifying the pending bills worth millions of shillings and the government will in a months’ time start paying the genuine ones,” he said.

Koskei added that the government was committed to supporting women in Procurement and Supply Chain which for years had been dominated by men.

“Of all the billions released by the Hustlers Fund, 49 per cent has gone to women groups and the government is keen to empower more women in this sector,” he said.

The Presidential Advisor on Women’s Rights Harriet Chiggai identified funding and sexual exploitation as some of the challenges facing women in the Procurement and Supply Chain.

She noted that since Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) was established in 2013, women, youth and persons with disabilities have benefited from the program and the value of tenders has increased.

“Despite their invaluable contributions, women continue to face barriers and obstacles in the supply chain industry that hinder their full potential,” she said.