Stop corruption deals on Kenya Ports Authority tender, Musalia Mudavadi appeals to president

ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi has asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to stop interference by treasury officials in the award of the management of the new KPA berth in Mombasa.

“Nip the corruption in the bud now on this project before it blows into a scandal that will affect Kenya’s diplomatic relations with Japan,” he said in an appeal to the president.

He said the interference risks damaging diplomatic relations with Japan leading to loss of confidence in development aid due to Kenya.

ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi. He says that the interference risks damaging diplomatic relations with Japan leading to loss of confidence in development aid due to Kenya. (PHOTO: COURTESY)

“Japan has been a faithful donor of grants to infrastructure development and reports of bureaucrats changing procurement rules in the tender to lock out Japanese interests to illegally favour of local

political interests to corruption which must be stopped,” he warned.

He said as a former finance minister, he knows the benefits accrued from unconditional aid from countries like Japan.

“Once relations on aid are soiled, it is a loss to the country as it takes long to repair them. You need to keep such genuine friends not lose them,” said the former deputy prime minister at the 50th Anniversary of Mudavadi Girls Madzu in Vihiga County.

Kenya has been the largest recipient of development aid from Japan in Africa and corruption in the tendering process for the management of the new KPA berth could irreparably destroy existing development aid relations between Kenya and Japan.

Controversy has gripped the tendering process with allegations that Treasury officers have changed the qualifications for the tender after firms submitted documents in order to illegally favour select political interests.

“Japan has been at the forefront of port infrastructure such as the Nyali and Mtongwe bridges on concessionary grants. Kenya could loose big on development aid should corruption become the criteria for selecting bidders,” Mudavadi said.