By Our Reporter
Despite efforts by President William Ruto to tame graft and fix the economy, some state officers who were seconded to some parastatal are working day and night to loot public resources.
This is the case at the state funded Coast Guard Agency whose procurement headed by Mr Gabriel Bakari is now on the radar of investigative agencies over alleged misappropriation of funds.
Mr Bakari who is known for his uncontrolled love for high end and flashy cars was seconded to the newly formed Coast Guard as head of procurement.
Cases of financial malpractices have now emerged with the big fish within the country’s porous and corrupt supply chain lining up for lucrative tenders in total disregard to the procurement laws.
The procurement head has also been accused severally for misusing his powers and connections to get tenders from Government entities to make his life soft.Word has it that he has also built state-of-the-art houses and bought beach plots in several parts of the Coast region.One of his associates at Coast Guard who spoke to us on request of anonymity said that Bakari is untouchable; he does anything at any given time.
“The guy has all what it takes in life, he harasses people here and takes bribes from every corner you might think that he comes from a village in Lagos Nigeria.” He said.
Further to our investigations it is now clear that Bakari runs a lot of companies through his wife, close friends and some family members.Documents in our possession shows that Bakari has been supplying meat at the National Youth Services in Mtongwe branch under Niella Enterprises, a company that is associated with his wife and a man by the name Daniel Kamuta.
The move has now attracted serious interventions including Directorate of CrimInal Investigations (DCI) and Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).On the same matter, it has also been established that a coast based lobby group is planning to go to court to demand that the procurement head be stopped from any further activity until investigations over his conduct are complete.
“We have everything with us and it is just a matter of time. We are moving to court. We shall include the asset and recovery unit from DCI.” An officer at the lobby group.
The group will also seek financial declaration of officers in such positions.The Kenyan Constitution 2010. Chapter Six of the Constitution clearly outlines the do’s and don’ts for those who aspire to be public officers.
Public Officer and Ethics Act 2003 (amended in 2009) Specifically, an individual taking over a public office has to make three declarations.The first one is supposed to be made within 30 days of the officer assuming office.
The second declaration is to be made every two years that the officer remains in office while the third is to be made within thirty days of the officer leaving public office.Financial disclosures by public officials are important in the fight against corruption and in promoting ethics and integrity in the public service.
Public Ethics Act indicates that those who fail to submit a declaration or clarification are guilty and could face a one-year jail term or Sh1 million fine.
Bakari who has now been seconded again to DP Gachagua’s office will have to overcome this new hurdle if he has to go throughIt is believed that he used a lot of his resources including pouring huge cash for him to be seconded to that office.
