Siaya County Governor James Orengo presiding over the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of a KShs. 52 million ring road project along Rabango to Siaya Referral Hospital on 15, January 2024 / Photo, County government of Siaya/
The Siaya Kababa General Suppliers Association (SKAGSA) has called for the immediate termination of a recently advertised tender by the Department of Public Works, Roads, Energy and Transport citing concerns over procedural irregularities and inequitable distribution of opportunities.
In a letter dated December 17, 2024, and addressed to the County Secretary, SKAGSA raised issues regarding the advertised tender notice of December 13, 2024.
The association, which represents local contractors, claims the tender’s clustering methodology condenses over 250 jobs into just 51 tenders.
This approach, according to the association, disproportionately favors a selected few. Of the beneficiaries, only 12 are women, 12 are youths, nine are persons living with disabilities and the remaining 18 are individuals from within and outside the county.
“This mode of clustering denies hundreds of thousands of Siaya residents the opportunity to share in available resources, contrary to the spirit of devolution,” reads part of the letter.
The association further highlighted that some of the roads included in the tender had been completed before the process, which they argued contravenes tendering and procurement laws. SKAGSA also pointed out the department’s backlog of pending bills and recommended that the obligations be cleared before engaging in new projects.
Through its executive office, the association issued an ultimatum, urging the county government to cancel and reorganize the tender advertisement by December 19, 2024, to address these issues.
The association has issued stern warning that should the county government fail to comply, it will escalate the matter to court.
The letter was copied to key county officials, including the Director of Procurement and the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Public Works, Roads, Energy and Transport.
The association emphasized that its stance aims to uphold the principles of devolution and ensure equitable sharing of county resources for the benefit of all residents.
The association is an organization registered under the Societies Act, Cap 108 Laws of Kenya, comprising contractors conducting business within Siaya County.
Its membership includes individuals and entities committed to promoting equitable access to opportunities and safeguarding the spirit of devolution in county projects.
SKAGSA advocates for fairness, transparency and inclusivity in the allocation of county tenders to ensure all residents benefit from public resources.
Efforts by The Nyanza Review to reach the County Secretary and relevant department officials for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
