- Some DCI officers accused of releasing to the media reports including a charge sheet for some top KPA officials to influence the outcome of the probe.
- Cancellation of multibillion-shilling tenders at KPA unsettled some staff and businessmen.
Tender wars at the Kenya Ports Authority have escalated, drawing in some officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations with claims that some have been pushing for the interests of influential businessmen.
At the heart of the issue are leaked documents purportedly from the DCI and which have recommended the prosecution of several top officials at KPA over procurement and payments of contracts.
Board members at KPA and a number of senior managers on Monday blamed some DCI officers whom they alleged were releasing reports including a charge sheet to influence the outcome of the probe.
“It is this fight that has seen some well-connected individuals leak some forged documents and purported charge sheet. One wonders how a charge sheet can be prepared yet investigations are on. As we speak, we have DCI officials at the Kisumu port conducting investigations,” a board member told the Star on Monday.
In September, the Star reported that cancellation of multibillion-shilling tenders at the Kenya Ports Authority had caused some staff and businessmen to focus on the authority’s bosses seen as frustrating their business interests.
The individuals, including KPA staff and influential businessmen, tried to sway seven multibillion tenders, raising concerns that resulted in their cancellation.
The tenders included Sh7 billion headquarters construction, a Sh3 billion terminal operating system, Sh3 billion purchase of land at the Nairobi Inland Container Depot and Sh2 billion for dredging
Other cancelled deals are a Sh2 billion port equipment tender, supply of a tug boat at Sh1.7 billion and a Sh800 million pilot boat.
The seven were cancelled after some business people and staff tried to influence the outcome.
The Star has established that after the cancellation, some staff members and influential businesses have turned to state agencies to implicate those who frustrated their business opportunities at the port.
According to a communication dated November 9 to KPA management, DCI investigator Moses Gituathi stated that his officers alongside public works engineers were to visit Kisumu port on November 14 at 8.30 am “to inspect and evaluate the works carries out by the contractors for Kisumu revitalisation".
Gituathi explained that to facilitate the inspection and evaluation, KPA management should appoint its representatives including those who supervised the project works.
“Kindly advise your officers to avail the project file and any other documents/information relevant to the project,” Gituathi said.
On Monday, a board member at KPA questioned how a report and charge sheets could have been prepared even before the DCI team and officials from public works conducted the scheduled visit at the Port of Kisumu.
“That is why we maintain the documents are fake and released with malice, to achieve a certain goal, investigations with a predetermined outcome to serve specific interests,” the member said.
One of the leaked documents is purportedly an internal memo by the Economic and Commercial Crimes unit at the DCI alleging irregular authorisation of expenditures for the Makongeni Gooshed yard concrete works on Kitui Road off Enterprise road, industrial area Nairobi.
Documents availed to the Star indicate that the project was approved by the board during a meeting on January 29.
The leaked documents also stated that the Makongeni project was still the property of the Kenya Railways Corporation after talks of KPA taking over collapsed.
However, the Star is in possession of a letter of offer from KRC to KPA dated March 21, 2019 in which Railways leased the facility to the authority for 10 years commencing in August 2019.
“Further to your application to lease the above property, this is to inform you that the management has approved your request,” reads the letter by signed by KRC acting managing director Philip Mainga.
On Monday, DCI George Kinoti did not respond to queries about the KPA investigations. He did not pick calls and did not respond to text messages sent to him by the Star.
(Edited by V. Graham)