De La Rue withdraws case against new-look currency printing tender

De La Rue withdraws case against new-look currency printing tender

The De La Rue LTD and the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) entered a consent on Thursday to withdraw a case in which the former was challenging the new generation currency printing tender.

Justice Chacha Mwita directed the currency printing firm to pay the respondents, CBK, costs and if an agreement is not reached, they should be taxed by the court deputy registrar.

In its grounds of opposition, CBK had said that the procurement process of currency banknotes commenced in the year 2014 following an advertisement for pre-qualification of suppliers for production on Banknote Origination Material and Currency printing services.

Oduol told the court that De La Rue were not pre-qualified to tender nor invited to submit tenders or participate in the issued tender Number CBK37/2017-2018, insisting that tendering documents are strictly confidential and can only be disclosed by an order of the court.

Last week Justice Mwita declined prayers by De La Rue to stop the tendering process, which commenced on on Wednesday, November 22.

The currency printing firm had moved to court challenging CBK’s move to invite tenders from foreign firms to print the new look Kenyan currency, which shall not bear the portrait of any individual.

In the petition, they wanted the court to stop the tendering process pending determination of the case on grounds that the move will lead to irreparable harm to the local industry.

They accused the CBK of unlawfully restricting the tender process to foreign entities in violation of mandatory requirements guiding the procurement process.

Further, they argued that there is an increased national security risk in allowing the tender to proceed in its current form without due consideration given to the benefit of local production as well as destruction of the old notes.

De La Rue Kenya CEO Ian Davies said that the law requires all public bodies including CBK to conduct a procurement process that is fair, equitable, transparent, and competitive and cost-effectiveness”.

 

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CBK Central Bank of Kenya justice Chacha Mwita De La Ru New-look currency

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