The Kenya National Highways Authority has reshuffled its staffers even as graft allegations against the state body escalate.
In the reshuffle, the Director for Road Asset and Corridor Management James Njuguna Gatitu will now head the Policy Strategy and Compliance docket. On the other hand, the Deputy Director (Roads) Mutii Kivoto will lead Road Asset and Corridor Management Directorate.
“The changes will ensure that issues of quality assurance are effectively implemented to mitigate on the authority’s risk exposure,” said KeNHA Director-General Peter Mundinia.
The body has been on the spotlight for unethical practices, with local contractors accusing the executive of demanding kickbacks in order to award them with tenders.
The contractors also accuse the Mundinia-led state body of awarding most tenders to Chinese contractors at the expense of Kenyans.
According to the Roads Civil Engineering and Construction Association, KeNHA has been awarding tenders to under-qualified contractors leading to construction of poor quality roads.
Receently, Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago was quoted siding with the Kenyan contractors, saying that KeNHA was not doing justice to the Kenyan economy by awarding Chinese with tenders that can be done by Kenyans.
“We need to strengthen our economy by allocating 40 per cent of government tenders to our youth. Giving Chinese tenders every time leaves our economy in bad state because they take money back to their countries,” said Mandago.
KeNHA is yet to respond to the allegations.
The new changes also touched the supply chain management, finance and accounting and human resource management.
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