Ministry stops NYS payments

Public Service, Youth and Gender Cabinet Secretary Prof Margaret Kobia (left) her Cabinet Assistant Secretary Rachel Shebesh (right) and the new Director-General of the National Youth Service Matilda Pamela Aleyo Sakwa in Nairobi on July 04, 2018. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Prof Kobia said some of the pending bills have not been paid because the suppliers did not provide the required documents.

  • The CS said the ministry will undertake fresh prequalification of suppliers in line with the laid down procedures.

The Public Service ministry has stopped further processing and payment of pending bills totalling over Sh5.6 billion until suppliers' documents are verified.

Cabinet Secretary Margaret Kobia on Wednesday said the pending bills are from 2013.

“There will be no payment of any pending bills. For any supplier to be paid for things supplied to the service, their documents must not be questionable," said the CS who was speaking at the National Youth Service (NYS) headquarters during the installation of the new director Ms Matilda Sakwa.

NYS SCANDAL

Ms Sakwa was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta to replace Mr Richard Ndubai who is implicated in the Sh9 billion NYS scandal.

The case is still pending in court.

Prof Kobia said some of the pending bills have not been paid because the suppliers did not provide the required documents. She said NYS will review and audit the bills and have those who presented undisputed documents paid.

"As a government, we normally isolate suppliers due to documentation related issues. Those who will not be paid and are aggrieved have a right to go to court," she said.

The CS said the ministry will undertake fresh prequalification of suppliers in line with the laid down procedures. She further said the new director is coming in with a fresh team.

“So far, we have brought about three other staff and more will be recruited,” she said adding that Ms Sakwa is expected to review the legal framework to institutionalise corporate governance.

'MESS'

Chief Administrative Secretary Rachel Shebesh the ministry is ready to work with the new director to ensure "we clean up the mess at NYS".

As a government, she said, “We normally isolate suppliers due to documentation related issues,”

She said, the service will review and audit the bills and have those who presented undisputed documents paid.

"Those who will not be paid and are aggrieved have a right to go to court," she said.

Last week, she said, the ministry turned down payment after they realized that their documents had issues.

The CS said the ministry will undertake fresh prequalification of suppliers in line with the laid down procedures.

Ms Kobia further said the new director is coming in with a fresh team.