House summons former NSSF bosses over Chinese tenders

What you need to know:

The committee is investigating how the NSSF procured a contractor for the Sh7 billion Hazina tower, which was awarded to China Jiangxi International after it was disqualified in the first tender.
The committee also found out that the Chinese firm was awarded the project through a restricted tender after it was floated afresh.

Parliament has summoned former National Social Security Fund (NSSF) managing trustee Tom Odongo and Maurice Juma, the Public Procurement Oversight Authority director-general, to shed light on three construction projects steeped in controversy.

The National Assembly’s Public Investment Committee (PIC), which is inquiring into the procurement for the multi-billion shillings Mavoko housing project, Hazina Trade Centre and Kenyatta Avenue business complex projects, has also lined up for questioning the directors of 15 companies that tendered for the projects.

Also to be questioned is former NSSF managing trustee Alex Kazongo whose whereabouts remain unknown. Last week, committee chair Adan Keynan informed PIC members that Mr Kazongo had not been traced.

PIC will also recall Labour principal secretary Ali Noor who was questioned alongside acting Labour secretary Raychelle Omamo two weeks ago.

The committee is investigating how the NSSF procured a contractor for the Sh7 billion Hazina tower, which was awarded to China Jiangxi International after it was disqualified in the first tender.

The committee also found out that the Chinese firm was awarded the project through a restricted tender after it was floated afresh.

READ: Contractor says NSSF tender was fixed to lock out locals

Last week, MPs heard how NSSF changed conditions in the tender for the construction of Hazina in favour of Chinese contractors.

Ramesh Vishram, the managing director of Cementers Limited, the company that won the initial tender to build Hazina, told PIC that the fund re-advertised the tender after it was annulled by PPOA on appeal by two Chinese firms.

The contractor said the re-advertised tender had a condition requiring bidders to prove that they had done two projects of 40-storeys each in the last five years.

The committee will this morning interrogate chief executive officers of Sichuan Huashi Enterprises Ltd, Tulsi Construction Co. Ltd, Seyani Brothers Co. Ltd, N.K. Brothers and China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group on the Hazina project.

It will then meet the managers of China Jiangxi International, Parbat Siyani Ltd, China Wu Yi Lt, Sino Hydro Corporation, Hazina Towers Project Ltd and China Railway Engineering tomorrow (Wednesday).

PIC will then grill Mr Juma and Mr Odongo on Thursday over the joint venture for the Mavoko and Kenyatta Avenue projects.