Keter: Railway Tender Award Was Fraudulent

The officials who appeared before two separate parliamentary committees include transport Principal Secretary Nduva Muli and KRA Chief John Njiraini.

Nandi Hills legislator Alfred Keter was also grilled over the controversial tender.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Investment Committee, Transport Principal Secretary Nduva Muli defended the government’s move to contract China Road and Bridges Company saying that it was a government to government project that would take a record of 3 years to complete.

Muli also dismissed the 1.3 trillion figure as speculative and clarified that Ksh. 327B was the official figure.

Muli also indicated that the rail line would be fully electronic and dismissed all otherwise claims.

Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter shed light on the alleged flouting of tendering process which he termed as not free and fair.

Keter who was first to blow the whistle on the controversial process of awarding of the tender to the Chinese company said that the China Road and Bridges Company had been blacklisted by the World Bank on claims of state corruption and fraud.

Aden Keynan who is the committee's chairman confirmed that there was a letter from World Bank that confirmed the blacklisting.

Keter further indicated that he had no interest in the project and was only playing an oversight role as a member of parliament.

This comes just a day after Attorney General Githu Muigai appeared before the panel and dismissed claims of endorsing the project.

Muigai added that his sole mandate was to advise the government, and not to give the go ahead on who got the contract.

The loan to facilitate the railway project is said to be financed by a Chinese bank, and Kenya will have a 30 year repayment period to clear the debt.

By

Wangui Ngechu