Rival security firms locked in Judiciary tender dispute

A Security firm, Riley Services Limited, is locked in a row with two rival companies bidding for a contract to guard the Judiciary.

Riley Services wants Lavington Security Limited and Bedrock Security Services Limited stopped from taking over from them the role of guarding the Judiciary. In an application which lists the Chief Registrar as the respondent, the security firm is also seeking orders to stop the Judiciary from evicting Riley guards from their premises until the matter is heard and determined.

The Judiciary advertised for the tender for provision of security services in October last year, and later awarded the nationwide contract to the two rival firms.

In a sworn affidavit, Jonathan Musomba of Riley Services says that the Judiciary broke the law by failing to evaluate the tender within 15 days of the opening of bids and subsequently failing to award the tender within the required 30 days. The firm claims that they were unfairly disqualified from the tendering process despite meeting all the requirements.

“On December 17, the applicant received from the procuring entity what purports to be a letter of regret dated December 11 that the tender was unsuccessful because the applicant had provided financial statements for only two years,” he says.

The security firm says it had filed an appeal with the Public Procurement and Administrative Review Board on December  22 seeking to have a review  of the tendering process and the board had subsequently ordered the Judiciary not to sign the contract until the matter is heard and determined.

“The application before the board has not been finalised and is still pending hearing and determination and the board has until January 23 to finalise the matter,” he said in the affidavit.

Riley Services claims that the Judiciary failed to comply with orders issued by the review board and the two companies deployed guards to various Judiciary premises across the country on December 31 to take over security services.

“We have not received official communication from the Judiciary to cease providing security services or to vacate its premises or to hand over the service provision to anyone else,” Mr Musomba said.

Lady Justice Mumbi Ngugi certified the matter urgent and set an inter-party hearing for tomorrow.