This archive report was first published on 22 April 2020.
On November 12, 2019, Trans National Times Sacco Limited in Kitale, Trans Nzoia county, invited bidders for a quotation for the construction of the Kiminini branch Fosa. The tender, which was to be addressed to the Sacco's chairman, had a closing deadline of December 18, 2019. However, the process has been marred by controversy, with allegations of favoritism and corruption emerging.
According to a complaint filed by one of the bidders, the firm that won the tender was favored from the start by top Sacco management, despite being the highest bidder. The firm's experience, which was cited as the reason for the award, was based on its previous work with the Sacco, despite having done a shoddy job. The Sacco's chairman, Robert Omari, and CEO, George Malaba, have been accused of favoring the firm due to their personal interests.
The tender process has been criticized for being opaque, with the bidder's documents being picked from the CEO's office and the quotation being done at Omari's office. The Sacco's supervisory committee, chaired by Margaret Maube, has been accused of turning a blind eye to the anomalies in the tender process. The Sacco has been accused of over-quoting the project by Sh1.2 million.
The controversy has led to infighting among the Sacco's officials, with some accusing the CEO and chairman of engaging in corrupt deals. The Sacco has been accused of nepotism, with relatives of the CEO and chairman being employed without proper qualifications. The CEO has been accused of influencing tenders and loan processing, with some staff members colluding with cartels to influence loan processing.
The Sacco's members are suffering and languishing in poverty, while the CEO is accused of running the Sacco as his personal property. The CEO has boasted that if removed, the Sacco will grind to a halt due to his protection of its dirty dealings from monitoring bodies in Nairobi.
