Kenya Railways on capacity building drive 

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Railway

Kenya railways has held a sensitization forum for special groups, eligible citizens and local contractors with an aim to enhance awareness, build capacity, increase transparency and promote corporations’ procurement process. Speaking at the forum, Kenya railways procurement officer Nelson Nyabwari, said that they are looking forward to connecting all parts of Kenya through the railway.

He revealed that in the year 2013 September, at least 30 percent of all government procurement were allocated to the youth, women and persons with disabilities which he termed as Kenyans and not disadvantaged groups. The Officer said that in the near future, the SGR will go all the way to Malaba and the youth, women and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) will be the team that they will be looking to partner with.

Nyabwari cited section 139(1) (b) of the Constitution which allows these groups to buy contracts and urged them to buy those contracts in a record time. “If you look at the state corporation that we have, Kenya Railways is among the top. Nevertheless, a variation is allowed to some extent,” he noted, adding that as per the act, most of their variation has to happen after twelve months of the contract and it allows them to buy a contract after twelve months.

, Nyabwari further cautioned that if the contract expires before the extension, the most possible route is a termination on the extension of a contract. He pointed out that amendments of contracts means change of terms and conditions therefore it is impossible to amend them.

“What is allowed is about contract variation; contract on issues to do with price, completion dates and statement of requirement of products. At Kenya Railways our tender datasheet manual is able to take us through a double evaluation process,” stated the Officer, adding that the tender datasheet describes that they require performance securities from a registered bank institution in the country.

He added that the conditions on tenders will require the applicant to fill, sign and stamp and in some occasions involve an advocate or power of attorney.