Tycoons and politicians are among those who have won Kenya Power’s lucrative tenders for concrete electricity poles, Sunday Nation has established.
The Sunday Nation can now lift the corporate veil on at least 14 companies, registered in Kenya and abroad and others owned by firms that deal in sugar, bread, biscuits and other general supplies, which landed the lucrative deal. The revelations follow an extensive search at the company registry in Nairobi of the firms that were awarded tenders from July, published by the power distributor on its website.
Equity Bank founder Peter Munga leads the pack. His Greystone Industries Ltd, owned by Mr Munga and Kiewa Group Ltd, which is owned by his family, has won a tender worth Sh35 million to supply concrete poles. Mr Munga’s concrete poles plant was established in 2015, through a Sh1 billion investment commissioned by DP William Ruto. It sits on a 30-acre piece of land.
Thika Town MP Patrick Wainaina has secured Sh40 million tender for the concrete poles through Jungle Energy (K) Ltd, which he owns with Ms Hellen Wambui Kimani. They share an address. The MP owns 90 per cent of the shares in the company, which according to records at the company registry, was registered in 2013.
Other big names on the list include Rai Cement Ltd, which has won Sh43 million tender to supply the poles. The Rai family has interests in sugar, cement, paper and farming, among others.
The family has also spread its wings to Uganda, where it owns the second largest sugar mill – the Kanyara Sugar Works. It also owns Mufumbira Paper Mills in Tanzania.
The other winner is Yash Poles, owned by Mr Darshil Kamal Shah and Mr Savan Kamal Lalji Shah. It got Sh57.4 million tender. AAKI Manufacturing Ltd, owned by Mr Stephen Muraya Kariuki and Mr Francis Gitau Mungai, will supply poles worth Sh45.1 million.
Then there is CP Power East Africa Ltd, which won a tender worth Sh30.7 million. CP Power is owned by two companies Bluescope Group Ltd and Midan Investments Ltd. Bluescope Group is owned by Ms Salome Gatachew and Mr Dawit Wondwossen Bezuneh, who own 50 per cent stake each in the company. Midan Investments is owned by Ms Makeda Tsegaye Tadeese, an Ethiopian national and Mr Dawit Wondwossen Bezuneh, from the US. Meru Supreme Industries, owned by Mr Justus M Nguu, Mr Wilfred Mwiti Nguu and Mr Kelvin Mwenda Nguu, also walked away with a Sh28.7 million tender, while World Poles Ltd got Sh28.1 million tender.
World Poles Ltd is owned by Bai Yuehua alongside two companies – Ultimate Outlets Ltd and Keyspan Investments Company Ltd. Our independent search at the company registry shows that Ultimate Outlets is owned by Mr Abraam Keitany and Ms Caroline Chelimo. Keyspan Investments, which is the second shareholding firm in World Poles is owned by Mr Reuben Kirwa Maiyo and Mr Farud Abdulrazak.
Other firms that won the tender include Regional Royal Transmission Ltd (Sh26.7 million), Africa Energy Group Ltd (Sh20.8million), Line Enterprises co. Ltd (Sh17.7 million), ABM Holdings Ltd (Sh14.4 million), Olive Construction & Suppliers Ltd (Sh10.7 million) and Makuyu Concrete Products Ltd got Sh4 million poles tender.
Regional Royal Transmission Ltd is owned by three shareholders – Mr Mwaura Njenga George, Mr Leonard Kanari Gitui and Mr John Kungu Kamau. We could not find shareholders of Africa Energy Group Ltd at the company registry in Nairobi.
Line Enterprises is owned by Ms Wangui Kimathi and Ms Susan Njeri Macharia while ABM Holdings Ltd is owned by Mr Ali Yislam Ali Bashamakh, Ms Manprit Kaur Manku, Mr Mohamed Islam Ali and Pall Mall Holdings Ltd, a firm owned by a maze of companies associated with the Amin Manji empire, that is known for its mini bakeries in Nairobi and Mombasa.
Olive Construction & Suppliers Ltd is owned by Mr Omar Hussein Aliow, Mr Adan Issak Emoi and Mr Abdirizak Mohamed Shuki while Makuyu Concrete Products is owned by Mr Ashwin Punjalal Kachra Bid, Mr Mitesh Punjalal Shah, Mr Paul Ngugi Mwaura and Mr Dominic Chege Gathu.
