By Wilfred Ayaga and Moses Njagih
Nairobi, Kenya: The National Assembly committee on Roads and Transport has cleared the controversial Standard Gauge Railway tender, opening room for a potential conflict with a watchdog committee, which is still investigating the tender award.
Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi Thursday allowed the chairman of the committee, Starehe MP Maina Kamanda to table the report, whose recommendations absolve the China Roads and Bridges Corporation from claims that it was irregularly awarded the tender to construct the Mombasa-Nairobi railway.
The report asks the Government to proceed with the implementation of the project without making any reference to parallel investigations being conducted by the Public Investment Committee (PIC).
“The Government should proceed with the process of implementing the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway project due to the immense benefits that will accrue to the people of Kenya during the construction period and upon completion of the project,” Kamanda told the House.
He also urged the Government to fast-track the implementation of phase two of the project, which would see the railway line extended from Nairobi to Malaba.
The procurement of the tender is under scrutiny by PIC, which has publicly been critical of the manner that the multi-billion project was awarded to the Chinese company.
Potential conflict
The committee chaired by Eldas MP Adan Keynan has so far questioned several senior Government officials, including former Cabinet ministers in the retired President Kibaki’s administration.
The Kamanda report was tabled despite concerns by Suba MP John Mbadi, who warned that it was setting the stage for potential conflict between two House committees.
The report said the Attorney General cleared the railway project.
“From the submissions by the AG and the Director General of the Public Procurement Oversight Authority, the committee concurs that the procurement process of the project was conducted within the provisions of the law,” it said.
Kamanda told the House that a delegation led by Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau to China had conducted due diligence on a company that is earmarked for the supply of locomotives and found that it had the capacity to manufacture locomotives.
“The delegation undertook due diligence on CSR Ziyang and confirmed that the company has the capacity to manufacture 500 locomotives annually,” the report said.
