By Dominic Mutinda
Reports have emerged on how a powerful businessman is using all means to avoid scrutiny following a special audit report detailing how mandarins at the premier medical supplies’ agency dished out tenders to Covid entrepreneurs in total disregard to procurement processes.
Mr Richard Ngatia the owner of Megascope Healthcare limited is reported to have received in excess of tenders worth billions of shillings in a Scam that how now been flagged by the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu in a special Audit report dated 29th September 2020.
The National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee (PIC) is currently probing the expenditure of money in the purchase of the Covid related equipment in which the businessman firm received commitment letters amounting to close to a billion shillings for supply of face masks, face shields, infrared thermometers and ventilators in what is now emerging were inflated prices.
The businessman had earlier sent his representatives to the house committee but were turned away and now the committee has issued summons for the reclusive businessman to appear in person before it.
Details in our possession reveal that out of nine LPO Megascope received only three had LPO numbers.
Details have now emerged that Megascope received an LPO on 07/04/2020 to supply 3000 pieces of face shield at a cost ksh 3000 compared to prevailing cost of Ksh. 100
Megascope received another LPO to supply 100, 0000 N95 masks at a cost of ksh. 700 against prevailing cost of Ksh 100. This orderd was recived on 04/05/2020 together with that to supply 95,000 PPE kits at an inflated cost of ksh. 9000.
On 30/05/2020 as Kenyans were asked to stay at home Mr. Ngatia received another order to supply 10,0000 infrared thermometers at a cost of 4,000 total value being ksh .40,000,000.
Kemsa officials have already revealed that the total commitment letters to Megascope as follows;
Ks. 7million, ksh 35million, ksh,35 million, ksh 95 milion , ksh, 1.5 milion , kssh . 165 million and qanother Ksh. 765 milion.
According to the Kemsa Suppliers document
Megascope supplied Kemsa with the following;
1. KN95 face masks 10,000 pieces at Sh700 per unit totaling Sh7,000,000.
2. KN95 face masks 50,000 pieces at Sh700 per piece totaling Sh35,000,000.
3. KN99 face masks 50,000 pieces at Sh700 per piece totaling Sh35,000,000.
4. Infrared thermometers 9,500 pieces at Sh10,000 per piece totaling
Sh95,000,000.
5. PPEs 85,000 pieces at Sh9,000 each totaling Sh765,000,000 (a rival firm
Wallabis Ventures Ltd was offering a lower price per unit for Sh7,500 and they
were only allowed to supply 10,000 pieces).
6. Face shield 3,000 pieces at Sh500 per piece talking Sh1,500,000.
7. Ventilators 55 pieces at Sh3,000,000 per unit totaling Sh165,000,000.(Komtel
Kenya Ltd the only rival company supplying the ventilators, despite having
The investigations by the Auditor general has noted that during the COVID 19 supply Kemsa failed to conduct market survey on items being procured.
The audit noted that this violated section 8(2) of the public procurement and disposal pregulations 2006.
The report further noted that there was deliberate failure to test samples by the quality and assurance department thereby exposing Kenyans to health risks.
The audit report has recommended that investigate agencies, EACC and DCI, to move in an establish criminality on the procurement process for the covid 19 related items and the possible collusion between KEMSA management and Companies that supplied items.
So far firms that have ignored summons by the PIC are Shop and Buy Ltd, Nanopay Ltd and Megascope Healthcare Ltd.
The questions in everyone’s lips is who is protecting t6he owners of this firms.
