Baringo County spent Ksh.20K to buy a meat chopping board

A report by the Baringo County Assembly Public Accounts and Investment Committee has revealed that Ksh.20,000 was used to purchase a meat chopping board.

The report adopted by the County Assembly on Monday further showed that payment for the kitchen equipment was also done through the wrong means by the previous county assembly (2013-2017).

The supplier of the chopping board — Brandhouse Solutions — was paid upon delivery and receipts issued immediately. This is contrary to the public electronic procurement system known as Integrated Financial Management System (IFMIS).

The overpriced purchase was blamed on mismanagement of public funds, with members of the county assembly wanting those responsible to be held to account.

“How can a piece of wood which is not more than Ksh.2,000 sell at Ksh.20,000? This is pure wastage of public resources and those responsible for the purchase should be surcharged the amount in excess of the market price at the time,” said Nominated MCA Saphina Chelagat.

It has also emerged that Ksh.17 million was used to renovate and paint a restaurant for MCAs, but the figures were exaggerated from the initial Ksh.2 million.

The Assembly is also said to have purchased a washing machine which may not have been necessary as to date, it has not been installed nor tested. The committee said there was no value for money in the purchase as it is not serving the intended purpose.

It was also established that an extension of the Assembly offices has been delayed since 2014, despite contractors being awarded the Ksh.40 million tender.

The completion date was supposed to be August 2015. However, the contracted companies — Swift Builders and Civil Engineering Ltd — requested for an extension to April 2016 but it is yet to be completed to date.