The Galana-Kulalu project at the
Coast could have been derailed by an intricate web of cartels seeking to
control its multi-billion shilling expenditure reports the people daily of 5th
Jan 2016.
The consultancy for pre-feasibility study and designs was
inflated from the initial Sh793 million to Sh920 million.
Questions were also raised about some alleged dubious
procurement of at least 50 companies which were to carry out bush clearing and
other preparatory activities to the tune of Sh400 milion.
According to official records at NIB , the estimates
indicate the farm and irrigation system was to take up to Sh3.5 billion of the
Sh14.5 billion model project, knowledge and logistics centre (Sh3.8 billion),
piping (Sh846 million), operations and maintenance (Sh3.4 billion) and taxes
(Sh2.3 billion).
Lucrative tender “The project was hijacked by interested
parties and degenerated into a cash-cow,” an insider intimated. A
lucrative tender was awarded to twin Israeli firms Green Arava and Agri-Green
at a the cost of Sh14.5 billion.
Green Arava, the parent company of Agri-Green Consulting
undertook a Sh920 million consultancy on the irrigation technologies for the
project.
The suspended NIB General Manager Engineer Daniel Baraza
declined to comment to the said allegations when he was contacted on phone
states the newspaper. Among contract awards that raised questions were Enwag
Company (Sh8.4 million), Techno Brain (Sh10.5 million), the International
Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, (Sh3.2 million) and Services &
Computer Industries Kenya Ltd (Sh6.5 million).
On August 15 last year, NIB awarded the Sh15.5 billion
contract to Green Arava Limited, the Israeli conglomerate, for the
establishment of a 10,000-acre model farm.
The paper states that the letter of offer was issued on
August 8, 2014 with pre-contract negotiations taking place the following day,
two days to the deadline for the submission of tender documents. The opening of
the documents was done the same day.
“There was no reasonable alternative competent contractor to
implement the design of the model farm other than the sister company of the
lead design consultant. There was urgent need to engage the contractor in
order to produce maize crop to mitigate the looming hunger,” a copy of the
award of the direct tender dated August 15, 2014 reads in part.
Eyes are now set on the CS for water Hon. Eugine Wamalwa who
is hardly one year at the Ministry whether he will decide to revoke the
suspension or let investigations take its full course. On the other side the
board which suspended Eng. Dan Barasa and three other top officials have their
hopes banked on President Uhuru Kenyatta who has declared war on corruption.
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