The Fafi Constituency NG-CDF Account Manager Omar Hassan Maha is under pressure after Members of Parliament accused him of presiding over the illegal awarding of contracts worth millions of shillings over several years.

The National Assembly Decentralized Funds Accounts Committee summoned him on Tuesday to answer concerns raised in audit reports spanning the 2013/2014 to 2022/2023 financial years.

The committee, chaired by Mwingi Central MP Gideon Mulyingi, held a session to review audit findings by the Auditor General which revealed that several tenders were irregularly issued between 2013 and 2017.

MPs were particularly concerned by the blatant breach of procurement laws in the handling of capital project contracts in Fafi.

“This report indicates that multiple tender documents were prepared after the contracts were awarded, and practical completion certificates prepared before the contracts were awarded,” said David Mboni, noting that this went against legal procurement procedures.

Faced with questions from MPs, the Fund Account Manager claimed that the Project Management Committee was behind the irregularities, distancing himself from responsibility.

However, the legislators dismissed this defence, insisting that the law had been broken and those in charge must be held accountable.

Auditor General findings showed that contracts worth Sh14.1 million were irregularly awarded in 2013/14 alone. In the following year, 2014/15, contracts valued at Sh10.3 million were also handed out in breach of procurement guidelines.

Similar issues were flagged in the 2015/2016 financial year, where Sh13 million worth of contracts were awarded without essential documents such as tender opening minutes, technical evaluation reports, certificates of completion, or formal contracts.

“This Committee demands to see copies of the Adverts, Evaluation reports, Award Letters, Contracts signed, minutes of tender awards, and Certificates of practical completion for all the four projects under scrutiny,” said the chairperson, who ordered the manager to present the documents within seven days.

The committee sharply criticised the manager's argument that the lack of clear procurement guidelines at the time contributed to the violations.

“It is so unfortunate that the Account manager is confidently blaming the lack of clear procurement guidelines at the time these irregularities were conducted. It does not make it right that they flouted the existing rules at the time,” said Joyce Osogo Bensouda.

Besides Fafi, the committee also reviewed reports from Ijara and Baringo South constituencies. Ijara NG-CDF Account Manager Hussein Mohamud Abdulla received praise for cooperating with auditors and providing the required documents.

“Other Managers should emulate your good work, and you should offer mentorship to some of your colleagues who are not yet conversant with the audit processes,” said Vice Chairperson Gertrude Mbeyu.

However, Baringo South faced criticism for poor budget control and underuse of allocated funds, leading to the stalling of some projects.

Account Manager Michael Kones was asked to explain irregularities in project procurement, which he blamed on a lack of skilled procurement personnel within the Project Management Committees.