Committee summons six over rail tender

Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau (left) and Parliament’s transport committee chairman Maina Kamanda at Kenya Railways headquarters last week. Photo/Salaton Njau 

By  EDWIN MUTAI, emutai@ke.nationmedia.com

In Summary

• Transport Committee chairman Maina Kamanda on Friday said the committee had instructed the House clerk to invite those to be interviewed on the railway tender awarded to China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).
• They include the Cabinet secretary, Kenya Railways MD and the Attorney-General.

 

Six top government executives are set to appear before a parliamentary committee this week to answer questions on the controversial standard gauge railway.

Transport Committee chairman Maina Kamanda on Friday said the committee had instructed the House clerk to invite those to be interviewed on the railway tender awarded to China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).

“We expect to recall the Cabinet secretary, his PS and other top officers. We will also call KRC managing director, Attorney-General, Deputy President chief of staff who had some communications on the issue and the Public Procurement Oversight Authority (PPOA) director-general,” Mr Kamanda, the Starehe MP, said.

The chief of staff in Deputy President William Ruto’s office is Maryanne Kaittany while the PPOA director general is Maurice Juma.

Other public officials summoned to appear are Attorney-General Githu Muigai Transport secretary Michael Kamau, Transport principal secretary Nduva Muli and Kenya Railways Corporations (KRC) managing director Alfred Matheka.

Mr Kamanda said Speaker Justin Muturi had authorised the investigations, even as the Public Investments Committee (PIC) prepares to start a fresh inquiry.

“We have received a letter from the clerk indicating that the Speaker has allowed us to continue with our investigations. We will be on course from Wednesday and we expect to finish our work by Friday,” Mr Kamanda said.

He said its work would run parallel to that of PIC chaired by Eldas MP Adan Keynan where Nandi Hills MP Afred Keter is expected to appear formally this week.

The MP and four others have maintained the multibillion shilling contract was awarded to the Chinese firm through single sourcing and was over-priced.

READ: State defends award of Sh1.2trn rail deal to Chinese firm

They said the Mombasa to Nairobi line would cost Sh1.2 trillion and not the Sh327 billion that is appearing on official documents released by the ministry. They further allege that CRBC undertook the feasibility study and designed the railway, thereby determining its cost.

The China firm started work in early December following the official commissioning of the project by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

CBRC was awarded the contract in 2011 after signing an MoU in which the Chinese contractor promised to assist in facilitating a government to government deal supported by concessional loans from the China Exim Bank.

The Transport committee has been working on the matter after Nyali MP Awiti Bolo sought a ministerial statement on the contract before the House went on Christmas recess.

Mr Bolo raised concern over single sourcing and questioned the capacity of the company to undertake the massive project. Government officials accuse the critics of being fronts for contractors who were eyeing the tender.