Firm ‘paid Sh33m taxes’ for mobile clinics

Importers of the Sh800 million mobile clinics lying at the National Youth Service camp at Miritini, Mombasa, paid some Sh33 million in duties and taxes for 84 out of the 100 containers imported from Guangzhou, China.

According to documents obtained by the Nation, the first four containers arrived at the Port of Mombasa last December and were recorded into the Kenya Revenue Authority system on the 10th day of that month and Sh9.6 million paid.

The four were cleared by Catesam Enterprises, a Nairobi-based agent and stored at Freight Forwarders Kenya. They were imported by Estama Investments Ltd. Estama director Njange Makanga said he bought out Mr Ambrose Makanga Ngari and Ms Esther Wahito Makanga from the company.

Between May and June this year, 80 other containers arrived and Sh3.9 million and another Sh19.4 million was paid in levies.

The 80 containers, which were cleared by Ridgeways Merchants Ltd, were stored at Interpel Investment CFS (Container Freight Station) before being taken to the National Youth Service camp at Miritini, where they are still lying.

The documents further show that the prefabricated container clinics were made in China by the Guangzhou Moneybox Steel Structure Engineering Company.

“All taxes were duly paid and there was nothing malicious about the imports. I can confirm to you that we received the 80 containers and the other 16 were taken by another Mombasa-based CFS,” said a source at the Interpel CFS, who asked not to be named.

MOBILE CLINIC

Information about the importation and clearance of the other 16 containers remained scanty.

On Sunday, during a press conference at his office in Nairobi, Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu said Estama Investments supplied all the clinics and up to Sh800 million was paid for the same.

Mr Mailu said the contract to supply the 100 portable clinics was awarded to Estama on July 17, 2015.

“We, hereby, also confirm that the company provided the requisite tax compliance certificate as well as its PIN certificate as required during the procurement process,” he said.

He, however, failed to give the cost of each mobile clinic.

“They were 100 and one container was taken to Nairobi for demonstration. The others were supposed to be distributed but directions are being awaited from the Health ministry,” said a top official at the camp.

The fully equipped 40-foot 99 mobile container clinics have been lying at the yard for months awaiting distribution to the various areas in the country.

“They were 100 in total and one container was taken to Nairobi for demonstration purposes. The others were supposed to be distributed to urban centres but directions are being awaited from the Health ministry,” said a top official at the camp.

The Nation accessed one of the containers where this reporter saw boxes of air condition, tents and a gas cylinder.