Don’t bow to pressure in tendering, says EACC
Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) chairman Archbishop (rtd) Eliud Wabukala has warned county procurement officers that they will carry their own crosses should they succumb to pressure from governors to irregularly award tenders.
Speaking when he officially launched a “corruption prevention in supply chain management” course for county governments officials in Mombasa yesterday, he said no one will be spared should they agree to be part of the organised cartels out to fleece the public.
Wabukala reiterated the commission’s efforts to create an environment that is hostile to the corrupt so that those who accept to hold public office operate within the law.
He said many of the county professionals suffer for succumbing to pressure from their bosses, urging them to stand firm and embrace rule of law.
“As a commission, we endeavor to make corruption a very expensive venture so that those who hold public office choose to either strictly operate within the dictates of law or quit public service altogether,” said Wabukala.
Wabukala (below) said procurement is the centre of governance for every county because as it commands about 40 per cent of expenditure of the county allocations, therefore, making it an area of interest to cartels.
“As part of our efforts to curb graft in counties we have decided to train the professionals. In 2019, the Treasury allocated over Sh300 billion to counties and 40 per cent of its expenditure went to procurement,” he said.
