British firm has received the nod to commence work on the $2 billion contract to construct the High Grand Falls Dam in Kenya.
London-based GBM Engineering Consortium
won the tender in a process featuring seven international construction
firms, five of them Chinese, for a fund, design, build, own, operate and
transfer contract.
won the tender in a process featuring seven international construction
firms, five of them Chinese, for a fund, design, build, own, operate and
transfer contract.
Kenya’s Public Procurement Administrative
Review Board, a state agency that handles disputes arising from
government tendering, upheld an earlier decision for firm that won the
contract.
Review Board, a state agency that handles disputes arising from
government tendering, upheld an earlier decision for firm that won the
contract.
The dam on River Tana, straddling Kitui
and Tharaka Nithi Counties, is part of the Lamu Port and South
Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor (Lapsset) projects.
and Tharaka Nithi Counties, is part of the Lamu Port and South
Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor (Lapsset) projects.
The National Irrigation Board which was
the procuring entity on behalf of the Kenyan government, was directed to
conclude the tendering process within 30 days by carrying out the
technical and financial evaluation of the bidders.
the procuring entity on behalf of the Kenyan government, was directed to
conclude the tendering process within 30 days by carrying out the
technical and financial evaluation of the bidders.
Paul Gicheru, the PPRB chairman ruled
that the government had no legal basis to cancel the tender or delay its
award to the British firm.
that the government had no legal basis to cancel the tender or delay its
award to the British firm.
The PPRB Board had earlier heard and
determined the dispute in favour of the British construction firm on
July 4, and was hearing its appeal after the irrigation board
disregarded its ruling and cancelled the tender.
determined the dispute in favour of the British construction firm on
July 4, and was hearing its appeal after the irrigation board
disregarded its ruling and cancelled the tender.
The project will begin after the National
Treasury agrees with the contractor on the implementation timelines,
projected at six years.
Treasury agrees with the contractor on the implementation timelines,
projected at six years.
Kenya will not be required to mobilise
any resources for the project as the contractor will operate the dam
after construction for 20 years, before handing it over to the
government.
any resources for the project as the contractor will operate the dam
after construction for 20 years, before handing it over to the
government.
The next phase will be land acquisition.
The High Grand Falls Dam was conceived in
2009 as part of an ambitious effort to build 1,000 water reservoirs
across the country and boost irrigation-based farming.
2009 as part of an ambitious effort to build 1,000 water reservoirs
across the country and boost irrigation-based farming.
The project is projected to cover 165
square kilometres and the dam will hold 5.6 billion cubic metres of
water and add 700MW to the national power grid.
square kilometres and the dam will hold 5.6 billion cubic metres of
water and add 700MW to the national power grid.
While at least 45000 households will be
displaced, the project is expected to provide water for irrigation of
more than 250,000 hectares of land in Kitui, Garissa and Tana River
Counties, and help address the perennial flooding
menace in the Coast region.
displaced, the project is expected to provide water for irrigation of
more than 250,000 hectares of land in Kitui, Garissa and Tana River
Counties, and help address the perennial flooding
menace in the Coast region.
“It will be the largest water storage
facility in the country with a holding capacity of 5.6 billion cubic
metres,” said Water Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui.
facility in the country with a holding capacity of 5.6 billion cubic
metres,” said Water Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui.
“The benefit to the region is enormous;
first, it will form a large man-made lake, where fishing and tourism
activities can be introduced.”
first, it will form a large man-made lake, where fishing and tourism
activities can be introduced.”
