The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has initiated an investigation into procurement irregularities involving the managing director of Tanathi Water Works Development Agency (TAWWDA) in Kenya.
In a gazette notice, EACC stated that a Sh300,000 tender for the building of Kinanie Leather Industrial Park Phases 1 and 2 was improperly awarded to PERMA Structural Engineering Company Limited, with fake documents provided in support of the offer.
“The investigations established that 14 companies had submitted their bids in relation to the tender no TAWWDA/048/2021-2022 which was eventually awarded to PERMA. The procurement process was marred with irregularities including submission of forged documents,” read the gazette notice.
The Commission claimed that the then-accounting officer executed a contract without a performance bond, which was required under the tender document.
Preliminary investigations also found that three TAWWDA employees, including the Construction and Residue Operations Manager, Finance Manager, and Infrastructure Development General Manager, engaged in illegal trading with PERMA, the company that was granted the contract.
“On December 15 2023 a report was compiled and forwarded to DPP with recommendations to charge the CEO of TAWWDA, Manager Construction and Residue Operations, , Finance Manager, Infrastructure development general manager and Director of PERMA Structural Engineering Company Limited.”
The EACC showed that TAWWDA employees implicitly expressed a financial interest in the contract sum and are likely to face charges for conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, abuse of office, and conflict of interest.
Others include false charges of public property and deceptive activities in procurement proceedings.
