House team turns away ‘junior staff’ of China firm
What you need to know:
- They argued that they received the letter summoning them on Wednesday and that senior officials were away in China on annual leave.
A parliamentary committee meeting to investigate the award of a contract for the Mombasa-Nairobi oil pipeline Thursday turned away officials from China Wu Yi construction firm, saying they were too junior.
The meeting with the Public Investments Committee (PIC) had been called to address the procurement, by the Kenya Pipeline Company, of the Mombasa-Nairobi oil products line where the Chinese firm, and 11 others, had unsuccessfully bid.
China Wu Yi was one of nine companies that submitted bids to construct the pipeline. However, KPC awarded the Sh43 billion tender to Lebanese firm Zakhem.
China Wu Yi has launched a bid with MPs to have KPC review its decision to award the tender to Zakhem Ltd.
“The invitation was addressed to the firm’s managing director. Make sure he is here on August 26 at 11.00 am,” said committee chairman Adan Keynan.
AWAY ON LEAVE
The company, whose offices are at Nairobi’s Kilimani area, had sent three officials and a legal representative to the PIC.
They argued that they received the letter summoning them on Wednesday and that senior officials were away in China on annual leave.
While PIC advised KPC to halt work on the project until the matter is resolved, the project officially started on August 8 with a team of financiers already picked for the project to be funded through a syndicated loan.
China Wu Yi was one of three contractors that build the Thika Super Highway.
