Bernard Namunane
20 June 2008
Nairobi — An MP yesterday sounded the alarm over procurement of 400 military vehicles for carrying troops. Matungu MP David Were (ODM) told members that one of the companies that won the tender to supply the vehicles was quietly being edged out by senior generals at the Department of Defence (DoD).
Mr Were brushed aside the intervention of Kilgoris MP Gideon Konchellah (PNU) and stated that Parliament, must ensure that the two companies that won the tender were allowed to supply their allotted number of vehicles.
"There is a mini Anglo-Leasing that is developing at the DoD and as an oversight institution, we must step in and ensure that Kenyans do not lose billions. The two companies that won the tender are not being treated equally. One has already received LPOs (local purchase orders) and supplied its allotted figure of vehicles while the other has not," he said while contributing to the Budget speech.
Renault trucks
The Matungu MP tabled a document that showed that the two companies are M/s Catic from China and France's M/s Renault Trucks. The document was rejected by temporary Speaker Philip Kaloki on grounds that they did not have letter heads.
Mr Were said that M/s Catic won the bid to supply 225 troop carrying vehicles that cost Sh6 million each, adding up to Sh1.35 billion. The vehicles had already been delivered. M/s Renault Truck, which got the tender to deliver 175 trucks at a cost Sh7.1 million per unit, bringing the total amount to Sh1.2 billion, has not yet received the LPO from DoD, he said.
"The remaining order of vehicles that were supposed to be supplied by M/s Renault Trucks has not been given. We have information that they are trying to transfer the tender to M/s Catic under unknown circumstances," he added.
The vehicles will replace the Mercedes Benz trucks that have been a brand of the country's Armed Forces since 1972. The DoD, he said, rejected the Mercedez Benz trucks on grounds that at Sh9.9 each, they were too expensive.
Armed forces
In the document, it was noted that the serviceability of the Mercedes Benz had dropped and was seriously affecting the operations of the Armed Forces.
On why the two suppliers were chosen, Mr Were said: "They were of the view that when one company is given the tender to supply, it normally holds the DoD to ransom when it comes to after-sales support, including adequate and timely supply of spare parts and other training equipment."
The new trucks were chosen for scoring highly on reliability, performance, maintenance and affordability. Mr Were asked: "Is there something that we are not being told?"
It was then that Mr Konchellah shot up on a point of order and said: "Why can't we wait until it is done (supply of vehicles) and then go to court with the evidence you have?"
The Matungu MP countered that it was better to sound the alarm bells to stop money from being lost.
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