Members of Parliament have been tasked to open an inquiry into the beneficiaries of multi-billion contracts that have been awarded to Chinese firms since the Jubilee administration took office in 2013.
This follows a request by Garissa Township MP Aden Duale for the probe, that could unveil the local director of Chinese companies tackling multi-billion shillings projects.
This is in the middle of speculations that the rich and powerful Kenyans have little or no say in local special-purpose operating firms that were created by the China-based firms for their projects.
Duale seeks to know the status of the contracts awarded to China-owned firms in the Energy and ICT sectors since the inquiry will cover all contracts that President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government has awarded to China-linked companies since 2013.
The Transport Committee has been directed by the speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi to start investigations into the issue.
The investigations target contracts that have been granted to Chinese Firms that undertook or are still undertaking projects in transport, housing, infrastructure and urban development.
Duale has taken the battle to President Kenyatta by pointing out deals that were largely awarded through the Transport ministry.
“ In line with Article 95 (5) (b) of the constitution, I hereby request a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development on the names of local directors / and or representatives of all China State-owned or Chinese-linked companies undertaking projects in the Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development,” he said in the statement.
He also added that the statement should include a breakdown of the contracts awarded.
The lead infrastructure projects which were undertaken by the Chinese firms include the Ksh.427 billion Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), the Ksh.67 billion Nairobi Expressway, the Ksh.40 billion new Mombasa oil terminal and the multi-billion shilling port of Lamu.
