Award of Sh20b CCTV tender illegal, court told

Award of Sh20b CCTV tender illegal, court told


Updated Wednesday, September 11th 2013 at 22:16 GMT +3

By KURIAN MUSA
NAIROBI; KENYA: The award of a Sh20 billion tender for the installation of CCTV surveillance equipment within Nairobi to Chinese firm ZTE Corporation that was cancelled by the previous government is irregular, a court heard.

Okiya Omtatah and Nyakina Wyclife have moved to court seeking conservatory orders to restrain the Government from proceeding with the controversial tender.
Under President Mwai Kibaki’s government, Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Kimemia cancelled the ZTE Corporation tender following claims the tendering process was flawed.
But the present Government reinstated and fast-tracked the tender, the High Court was told.
Through advocate Ishmael Ngurima, the petitioners told the court that Interior PS Mutea Iringo and Attorney General Githu Muigai had reinstated the tender.
They said the fast-tracking of the tender by the Office of the Attorney General and the Interior ministry was contrary to the Constitution that mandates the National Police Service Commission to undertake the task.
“We seek that the court grant this application based on the fact that the two officers in their individual capacities influenced the process of tendering and interfered with the third respondent, the National Police Service Commission,” said the advocate.
State counsel Charles Kihara said it would be prejudicial to name the Attorney General as well as the PS as respondents in the case in their individual capacities.
“If the court accepts the application, it will be a criminal case while the matter before court is constitutional,” said state counsel Charles Kihara.
Ruling of the case is scheduled for September 25.