This archive report was first published on 4 August 2020.
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, Kenya's government has been accused of creating COVID-19 billionaires through questionable tender awards. One such case involves the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), which awarded a Ksh 4 billion tender to Kiliq Limited in March to supply 450,000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
The tender has raised eyebrows, with many questioning the legitimacy of Kiliq Limited. A closer look at the company reveals that it is listed as a shadow company, with Ivy Minyow Onyango as its sole director.
Who is Ivy Minyow Onyango? Born in 1993, Ivy is a 27-year-old Kenyan lawyer who was admitted to the bar in 2019 after being gazetted by the Council of Education on December 21, 2018. She joined the Kenya School of Law in January 2017 for an Advocates Training Programme and previously attended the Kenyatta University School of Law (KUSOL) from 2011.
According to the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) website, Ivy is listed as an active holder of a 2020 Practicing Certificate. She discloses that she practices at 'self' and gives her physical address as CMM Gardens along Rhapta Road, Westlands in Nairobi.
Interestingly, Ivy reveals that her areas of legal practice include Commercial Law-General (40%), Intellectual Property Law (20%), and Conveyancing Law (40%). This raises the possibility that she may have incorporated the company Kiliq Limited for a client, in which case she may enjoy the benefit of Client-Advocate privilege.
