Portland Cement’s Oliver Kirubai Suspended

East African Portland Cement managing director Oliver Kirubai did not enjoy the festive season as the board sent him on leave.
Surprisingly, his position has been taken over in an acting capacity by Mohamed Osman and the head of finance. Initially, many had expected Semei Sitonik, head of human resources to take over the position.

Weekly Citizen could not establish the exact reasons behind Kirubai’s tribulations but those close to Sitonik say, it has to do with a multimillion shillings tender.

Recently, the Public Procurement and Administrative Review Board nullified a multimillion shillings tender awarded to Spenomatic Kenya Ltd by the cement company.

The firm had requested quotations from prequalified firms to send bids for tender No EAPCPLC/RFP/009/2023 for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of a grid-tied solar PV plant.

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EAPC falls under the Ministry of Trade, Investments and Industry and the tender was perfected during the time Moses Kuria was cabinet secretary.

Reports indicate top ministry officials have been compromised by one of the firms after learning, Kuria favoured Spenomatic.
Stakes are said to be high in the battle to land the tender with millions of shillings exchanging hands. Kirubai was Kuria man and together with new forces needed a friendly face as MD.

Five firms that were engaged in the tendering process were Central Electricals International Ltd, Ric Energy Kenya Ltd, Spenomatic Kenya Ltd, Imexolutions Kenya Ltd, and Ofgen-Hidec Consortium Ltd, who sent their bids.

On May 23 2023, the tender committee stated two tenders were non-responsive and hence disqualified. On the other side, three were responsive thus qualifying to the technical evaluation stage. At the end of the technical evaluation stage, it emerged, Spenomatic Kenya Ltd scored 80pc and won the Sh572,790,267 tender.

It has emerged, that Kirubai was in bed with Berjeesh D Surty chairman and managing director of Spenomatic Kenya Ltd.

According to sources, the embattled MD sidelined senior managers and dropped powerful political names pushing for the firm with connections at the State House.

However, on September 25 2023, Central Electricals International Ltd, head of marketing Mohamed Rashid, applied for a review at the PPARB requesting that the award of the tender be set aside and to review the scores awarded to tenderers.

It is whispered, that Rashid is using his Somali connections in the corridors of power to land the lucrative tender. To that effect, the naming of Mohammed as acting MD and sidelining of Sitonik a Kalenjin is to enable the Somali tycoon to land the tender.

Central Electronics had claimed, that the letter of rejection of their bid dated September 11 2023, failed to give reasons for rejection and that another letter dated September 26 2023, failed to disclose the name of the successful tenderer.

EAPC defending the tender award claimed Central Electricals International Ltd failed to explain the design aspect of a 2 MWP solar PV system. The firm projects stated in their bid were conducted outside Kenya as tender documents demanded that tenderers give reference to projects undertaken in Kenya.

It was further claimed that the Central Electricals International Ltd tender failed to meet the minimum score of 80pc as it only scored 77pc.

However, the PPARB noted that Central Electricals International Ltd submitted projects undertaken in Kenya for Two Rivers Power Company Ltd, ICFEM Dreamland Hospital Ltd, Kimilili, and Kitugum/Lorgum Hospital.

The board ruled: “It is our considered opinion that the evaluation committee adopted an incorrect approach in evaluating and scoring the applicant’s tender as it failed to give reasons why it did not score full marks”.

The board therefore ordered: “The letter of notification of award issued to the interested party (Spenomatic Kenya Ltd) tender No EAPCPLC/RFP/009/2023 for the design, supply, installation, and commissioning of a grid-tied solar PV plant be and is hereby set aside.”

The board ordered the tender and evaluation committee to admit Central Electricals International Ltd together with all other tenders that were determined responsive for re-evaluation and to continue with the tender process to its logical conclusion within 14 days from the date of this ruling (October 16 2023).”

However, the cement board failed to admit Central Electronics as ordered within 14 days forcing the procurement board to cancel the tender awarded to Spenomatic group. Weekly Citizen has a dossier on how Berjeesh Surty was bribed to get the tender that has seen various parties fight to win.

Who is Berjeesh and his connections, one may be forced to ask.