Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, on Tuesday, May 23, was forced to respond to allegations that his government was awarding tenders at inflated budgets.
A letter purportedly issued by Nairobi County was widely circulated alleging that the county would spend Ksh1 billion on stationery.
According to Sakaja, such a tender was an absurdity. He further called upon Kenyans to be media literate and not consume propaganda shared online.
“This is absurd. Not everything you see typed is true,” the Governor vehemently denied the letter as having originated from his office.
The unverified letter had awarded a company based at Industrial Area, Nairobi, to be the county’s official office stationery supplier.
“We are pleased to inform you that your company was shortlisted among others based on your quotation.
“It has been awarded the order to supply office stationary as per the quoted value of Ksh1 billion,” the now-flagged letter read in part.
According to the letter, the company was to be given a 45 per cent advance payment, which would be wired immediately upon acknowledgement of the order. At the same time, the rest would be cleared upon supply of the stationary mattery.
“All items to be delivered on or before 180 days and substandard quality would result in penalty and/or prosecution,” the letter detailed further.
This was not the first time Sakaja had to defend alleged excess spending alleged by his office.
On Wednesday, April 19, Sakaja was forced to clarify reports claiming he planned to spend Ksh500 million on constructing his official residence.
Speaking Wangui Maina, Director of Communications, denied the allegations remarking that the budget did not originate from Sakaja but from the office of the county secretary.
“This was done as a means of formality as the office of the county secretary is in charge of hospitality and also the budget of the house had been there since (former Nairobi Governor Evans) Kidero’s time,” Maina explained then.
She explained that the Ksh500 million would be placed into other urgent matters such as the construction of markets and the creation of jobs.
