Days after we unearthed various scandals at Kwale County Assembly, it has been established that the clerk Fatuma Hassan Mwalupa is yet again battling accusations of a rogue tender for supply of ICT equipment.
The tender number cak/1310242/2023-2025 for provision for repair and maintenance of computers, printers, ups, laptops, lcd projectors, servers, fax ups, photocopiers, air conditioners and other ICT equipment & accessories..
The tender process was shrouded in controversy and discrimination to more qualified suppliers who were seemingly ignored in favour of a friendly firm to the clerk and his allies at the assembly.
Further, the equipment in question as per investigations were sub standard and failed to work.
Dissatisfaction against the clerk is growing among the MCAs who are now plotting to impeach her as they ponder what to do with the speaker.
The Clerk and Speaker Seth Mwatale Kamanza have already been warned and a process of replacing them from the County Public Service Board kick started.
The MCAs have already dismissed the County Public Service Board and further proposed names of those they want to take over as new members.
The new members could be sworn in to pave the way for the impeachment of the clerk who has been grilled over various corruption allegations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
Apart from corruption, a section of the MCAs are accusing the clerk of being arrogant and non-committed to solving their grievances.
The Auditor General Report for 2022/2023 puts the assembly on the spotlight and the MCAs are convinced that the clerk, who served in acting capacity since 2019 before being confirmed last year.
Some of the audit issues raised include employment of members of Staff above the approved Ceiling, overseeing non-Compliance with One Third Basic Salary Rule and overseeing Stalled Construction of County Assembly Offices where a contract for the construction of County Assembly offices was awarded to a local Company on 12 February, 2016 at a contract sum of Kshs.508,549,884 and Ms Mwalupa has allegedly gained both political and sex favours. Eddy Chibu, one of the commissioners fired by MCAs, was the clerks former boyfriend with the two accused of pushing selfish agendas through the board.
Mwalupa doesn’t see eye to eye with Governor Fatuma Achani because of her huge kickbacks from suppliers and protection from agencies like EACC and DCI.
“She is as dead as a millipede, she is too arrogant to the extent of even ignoring her bosses like Governor Achani. But what we believe is that one day authorities will catch up with her.” Said one of the MCAs
