Passports - Minister To Table Report

East African Standard

13 May 2004 Page: 13

Finance Minister David Mwiraria is expected to table in Parliament today a special report by the Controller and Auditor General on the Sh2.7 billion passport tender scam. The report will provide among others, details and names and designations of those involved. It follows directives by House Speaker Francis Kaparo that the C&AG investigates and prepares a special report on the tender scam first exposed by Ntonyiri MP Maoka Maore (Kanu). The tender was for the supply blank passports and lamination machines for the Immigration Department. But suspicions were raised when it emerged that the Finance ministry in liaison with the Office of the President had pushed its value by nearly Sh2 billion. "As soon as the responses are received and included in the report, I will table it before the House even tomorrow (today)," Mwiraria said adding that he had already seen the draft report. He was responding to the Public Accounts Committee chairman Omingo Magara who complained that the minister had failed to table the report on Tuesday as directed by the Speaker. The C&AG by law is required to give those adversely mentioned in his reports a chance to explain their actions. However, the report must be tabled in Parliament not later than seven days from the Speakers directive.