Serious allegations of bribes totalling multiple millions of dollars have surrounded the World Bank-supported Kenya Power Last Mile Project.
The ambitious program that was designed to improve energy access throughout the nation is now being overshadowed by allegations of conspiracy among key officials in the administration who seem to be using their positions for the sake of personal wealth.
Authorities have identified a procurement manager at Kenya Power as the mastermind behind a scam that demanded substantial payments from contractors in the amount of up to ten million Kenyan shillings as a facilitation charge.
The approaches appear to involve using intimidation to extract money from contractors who have won bids.
As a result, many businesses are now hesitant to participate in the initiatives that the organization is working on.
Reports indicate that one contractor remained imprisoned until their embassy intervened, while other contractors faced coercion to obtain bank guarantees through intimidating tactics.
To ensure that they are able to participate in the projects, a significant number of contractors are required to provide bank guarantees.
The program’s integrity, whose main goal is to increase access to electricity across the country, has come under serious scrutiny as a result of the ongoing issues.
