- Top bosses at NSSF colluded with the directors of a construction company trading as Touch Global Ltd Mr Sahara Mohamed Salim to influence the awarding of the tender. According to available information, NSSF had invited sealed tenders in response to tender No. NSSF/SCM/C/2/3/14:2022/S023 for the provision of Staff Tea Services through an open competitive method on the 3rd January 2023, the deadline was the 18th January 2023. However, the Public Administration Review Board in a ruling dated 17th March 2023 declared and ordered that the letter of award to Touch Global Ltd stands nullified and set aside.
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Heads are expected to roll at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) following the emerging allegation that the board manipulated and influenced a multi million tender for the supply of office tea to a construction company. The revelation comes at a time when President William Ruto has made changes at the parastatal following the appointment of Mr Antony Muruiki as the Chairman of the Board of Directors replacing Gen. Julius Karangi. Sources at NSSF told The Weekly Vision that the acting Managing Trustee David Mwangangi together with the Acting Procurement Manager Roselyn Oluoch are allegedly behind the manipulation.
The two allegedly colluded with the director of a construction company trading as Touch Global Ltd Mr Sahara Mohamed Salim to influence the awarding of the tender. According to available information, NSSF had invited sealed tenders in response to tender No. NSSF/SCM/C/2/3/14:2022/S023 for the provision of Staff Tea Services through an open competitive method on the 3rd January 2023, the deadline was the 18th January 2023.
Investigations reveal that NSSF’s top leadership influenced the awarding of the tender knowing so well that the company is a construction company and could not deliver Tea Services. Our source further revealed how the company failed to meet some of the mandatory requirements such as having the capacity to serve a company with over 500 employees. Investigations further reveal that Touch Global operates from a 2 bedroomed apartment in South C. To further show how NSSF top brass ignored very important procurement issues, during the due diligence stage, they only contacted their two referees leaving out the rest to conceal some vital information about the construction company.
In 2019, Global Touch ltd tendered for construction work intender No.IGEN/DCC/1/2019-2020 for provision of proposed construction of Deputy County Commissioner’s Office block at Igemnbe North Sub-County, Meru County but did not win the tender. Further proof that Global Touch ltd is a construction company and not a supplier of soft drinks, the company has no expertise in supplying tea.
During the tender opening, seven firms sent in their bids, namely Vintage Vibrant Movers, Royal Taste Kitchen, Mlima View Gardens, Meal Magic Caterers, African Eagle Restaurant, Touch Global Ltd and Lesan Caterers Ltd. It later emerged during the evaluation stage that three firms were non-responsive while four were responsive.
The tender committee went ahead to conduct due diligence on the four firms calling their referees including the NSSF compliance certificate of the four firms. At the end of the exercises, Touch Global Ltd was found to have quoted the lowest amount as compared to the other three tenderers, It quoted Ksh. 10,498,224.00 In a professional opinion dated 7th February 2022, the acting Procurement manager Rosemary Oluoch concurred with the tender committee and an award later was issued on 12th February 2023. However, on 24th February2023, Royal Taste Kitchen appealed with the Public Administration Review Board.
The board in a ruling dated 17th March 2023 declared and ordered that the letter of award stands nullified and set aside. The board also directed the tender committee to do due diligence on Touch Global Ltd and that the tender committee proceed with the tender process to its logical conclusion within 21 days. Sources say the new board chairman Antony Muruiki has promised to look into the matter and to ensure all those who were involved in the fraudulent award of this tender to a construction company will have to account for their actions.
