Parliament has summoned the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) over a tender for the supply of excise stamps following reports that a Swiss multinational security printer, Sicpa, has been slapped with a Sh12.5 billion fine for bribing foreign public officials in the conduct of business.
The National Assembly’s Finance and Planning committee will this week grill the KRA management over a new multi-billion shillings tender that Sicpa Security Solutions (SICPA) SA, is seeking to retain.
The firm, which is currently providing the taxman with stamps for excisable goods, including soda, bottled water, fresh juices, beer, spirits, cosmetics and cigarettes, was fined CHF81 by Switzerland authorities after it was found culpable of abetting corporate criminality in connection with acts of corruption.
The fine translates to approximately Sh12.5 billion going by the current exchange rate of CHF1 to Sh154.
“We have resolved to summon the KRA management to appear before us next week (this week) to shed some light on the activities of Sicpa which has had issues including in neighbouring Tanzania,” Kimani Kuria, who chairs the committee, told Business Daily.
“We want to know whether KRA has conducted proper due diligence on Sicpa, which has applied for the new excise stamps tender, in light of the new revelations that it was fined billions of shillings for bribing officials to bag lucrative contracts.”
KRA and Sicpa entered into a five-year contract for the provision of excisable stamps on a range of consumer products, including soda, bottled water, fresh juices, beer, spirits, cosmetics and cigarettes.
The Swiss firm is among the firms bidding for a new contract for the provision of excisable stamps estimated to cost Kenya Sh162 billion for five years.
