Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has disputed claims by the former deputy governor Jonathan Mueke who had claimed that the plans to upgrade Pumwani Maternity Hospital started in their regime but failed because National treasury and the Public Private partnership secretariat failed to approve the project.
Sonko said that the project stalled because the Indian investors were asked to give an upfront kickback of Sh350 million before the project could commence. He added that the National Treasury Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge approved the upgrade of the Pumwani Maternity Hospital.
The governor explained that in the same year treasury released Sh212 million to the Nairobi city county account in COOP bank. From this amount Sh103 million was to cater for the completion of the stalled 74 bed multi storeyed block at Mama Lucy Hospital while Sh109 million was for commencement of Pumwani Maternity Hospital upgrade.
However the money slated for the upgrade was transferred from the County Bank account to an account belonging to Gurumani Traders Ltd, a company that belongs to former chief of staff George Wainana and his brother John Njogu. This money was then transferred to Sagar Builders Limited who constructed GEM suites which are owned by former governor Evans Kidero.
“The same year Treasury released Sh212 million as part of the health budget allocation. The money was wired to Nairobi city county COOP BANK A/C NO. 01141232396601. Out of this amount Sh103 million was to cater for the completion of the stalled 74 bed multi storeyed block at mama Lucy hospital while Sh109 was for commencement of Pumwani maternity hospital upgrade.
The Sh109 million for Pumwani maternity hospital upgrade was transferred from Nairobi City County Coop Bank A/C NO. 01141232396601 to Gurumani Traders Ltd (Directors George Wainaina Njogu and his brother John Njogu) Coop Bank A/C NO. 01148230208500. From here the money was later transferred to Sagar Builders Ltd A/C. No. 95860400000034 Bank of Baroda. As per the records at the County’s planning office Sagar builders are the contractors who built Gem Suites Apartments at Riverside owned by my predecessor,” Sonko clarified through his Facebook page.
On the other hand, money intended for Mama Lucy Hospital was transferred to a company known as Lodwar Wholesalers whose directors are the former chief of staff, George Wanaina, his brother John Njogu and the former governor Evans Kidero.
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He said that the a further amount of Sh58 million was transferred to Kidero’s personal account in family bank, through a lawyer’s account.
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