Kisumu residents criticise award of Sh99m road tender to ‘outsiders’

Kisumu Deputy Governor Mathews Owili (center) with Kisumu City Manager Doris Ombara (left) during the launch of of Nyamasaria- Magadi road construction (Photo: Collins Oduor)

KISUMU, KENYA: Kisumu County Government has defended Kisumu Urban Project (KUP) over award of a Sh99 million road tender to a contractor based outside the county.

The road project is one of the tens of opportunities in the Sh4 billion French Government-funded initiative, among others; the constructions of five model schools, five bitumen standard roads, three gravel roads, three markets, 28 floodlights, one health centre, a social centre, three Bio Centres, the local detailed plan of the city and capacity building.

Deputy Governor Mathews Owili said no local contractor placed bid for the 2.1 kilometre road project, forcing them to settle on Nairobi-based firm, Ascoda, associated with Former Mwea MP Alfred Nderitu. Mr Nderitu was present during the groundbreaking ceremony of the road.

The county government had received a bashing from residents who claimed the county leadership had ignored the local contractors at the expense of established ‘foreign’ firms.

This follows another case in which KUP, in September 2014, had awarded Sh100 million floodlight tender to Nairobi-based Match Electricals Company, sparking controversy over the ability of local contractors to undertake projects of such big magnitude.

The project involved the construction of 21 metre high posts lighting up an area of up to a radius of 300 metres.

But in his response through a statement to the media, Owili maintained that the tenders were awarded on a level ground.

“For specificity and in the case of Nyamasaria-Magadi Road, only three bids were received, from Pepeta Holdings of Nairobi, Ascoda General Contractors Ltd of Nairobi and Tosha Construction Engineering Ltd also of Nairobi. The three firms were evaluated on their technical grounding from the December 29, 2016 to the January 4, 2017,” said Owili.

He added: “It is instructive to note that in our manifesto, we promised to encourage and empower local entities in building their capacities and local firms must therefore give prominence at the evaluation processes. This must also be done within the confines of the obtaining laws such as the PPAD Act, 2015 and the PFM Act, 2012.”

Other projects developed in the program include the construction of; Angira and Got Nyabondo Primary schools within Kajulu Ward at a cost of Sh78.5 million and Sh77 million respectively.

Others include Rweya Primary school in Kolwa East Ward and Rota Primary school in South West Kisumu Ward built at a cost of Sh99 million and Sh75 million respectively, and Thim Bonde Primary in North Ward which will be constructed at a cost of Sh70.8 million.

The construction of Kibuye, Jubilee and Otonglo Markets at a cost of Sh700 million and the relocation of Kachok Dumpsite at a cost of Sh800 million is also part of the project.

Owili noted that local contractors had also benefited from part of the KUP tenders, with some already working on final touches, and were within the expected delivery times and will be soon handing over the schools.

“Let me proffer a word of advice and encouragement to the firms who might have felt that the bar is set quite high with regard to some of these projects. The way to go is consortium bids. We must leverage on the deferent strengths that we have to help move as one big entity. This will go a long way in laying the ground for the much needed capacity,” he said.