Lock foreign firms out of state tenders, urges DP

Deputy President William Ruto greets students of Kenya Technical Training College in Gigiri during the launch of TVET Curricula in the institution. [Rebecca Nduku, DPPS]

Deputy President William Ruto has given his support to a Bill that seeks to lock out foreigners from taking up State tenders falling below Sh1 billion.

Ruto said that it was the government’s duty to ensure that its citizens have jobs and are protected from foreign nationals. “They are welcome in the country but I agree that local firms should be given the priority for tendersfalling below Sh1 billion and for the mega projects Kenyans are guaranteed 30 per cent of the jobs,” the DP said yesterday in Karatina.

The Bill sponsored by Mathira MP Rigathi Gachagua (See separate story on page 21) seeks to amend the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act 2015 and give local companies the upper hand in running infrastructural projects by the government.

Ruto said the government would guarantee that foreign nationals do not hold more than 70 per cent of the jobs in mega infrastructure projects.

He was in Karatina at the ordination of Pentecostal Evangelistic Fellowship of Africa Church (PEFA) clerics. He was the chief guest. Ruto said the Chinese would only provide the funding and skilled labour but the unskilled jobs would be provided to the local workers. Legislators from Mt Kenya region such as Mr Gachagua and Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro have decried the insurgence of Chinese nationals who take up jobs for unskilled people. Yesterday, Gachagua said the government should act with speed to change procurement laws before foreigners take up all the jobs. He lamented that the Chinese have become the proverbial camel, which was given a roof to protect itself from the rain but ended up pushing the owner out and occupying the whole house.

“We know we have their debt and we will pay when the times comes but they should not take everything from us.

“They can come and do skilled jobs like engineering but unskilled work should be left to us,” the MP said.

A fortnight ago, President Kenyatta conceded that local industries were being suppressed by imports from countries like China.