The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has banned a Kenyan firm and two Chinese nationals from participating in its projects for fraudulent conduct relating to last mile electricity project in Kenya.
The bank handed Esiko Kenya Enterprises Limited a nine month debarment while two Chinese nationals, Chen Chao and Huang You were debarred for a period of 12 months.
According to investigations conducted by the AfDB’s integrity and anti-corruption office, the civil and electrical engineering firm and the two individuals engaged in fraudulent practices in the procurement of the plant design, supply and installation of extensions of low voltage single phase lines and service cables under the Last Mile Connectivity Project Phase II in the Republic of Kenya.
“The Last Mile Connectivity Project, Phase II is an African Development Bank Group-financed project with the objective of supporting the Kenyan Government’s initiative of ensuring increased electricity access to Kenyans, particularly the poor. The project aims to cover the entire country with selected transformers in its forty-seven counties,” said the bank.
The decision now locks out Esiko Kenya Enterprises Limited, the two individuals and all entities under their control from participating in AfDB funded projects during the debarment period.
They are also required to ensure proof of satisfactory completion of the integrity remediation activities prescribed for each of them before participating in the bank’s financed projects.
