Local contractors cry foul in Sh6b Kenya Power tenderKenya Power is on the spot after local contractors accused it of awarding a multi-billion tender to foreign firms at their expense.Several contractors, under the Energy Sector Contractors Association (ESCA), are seeking to stop the award of a Sh6 billion tender to construct power substation and transmission lines. In the tender document, for example, Kenya Power had specified a requirement limiting bidding to firms with an average turnover of Sh1.8 billion over the past five years. Subscribe Now »ESCA argues that the new requirements curtail competition and lock out local bidders, contrary to the Constitution. “Only foreign bidders will be able to take part in the tender as no local firms have the capacity to participate in this procurement competitively,” states the submissions. Kenya Power has denied allegations of bias against local firms stating that the project has been funded on a bilateral agreement between the Kenyan government and the French Development Agency who dictated the bidding criteria.

Source: Standard Digital January 15, 2020 21:00 UTC