All is not well at Kenya Roads Board – Weekly Citizen

Jacob Ruwa

Kenya Roads Board executive director Jacob Ruwa is on the spot for manipulating tenders after pocketing kickbacks.

Ruwa according to sources awards tenders such as disposing off of old vehicles, transport and provision of banking services to his preferred firms, surpassing the procurement department.

The KRB is tasked with disbursing money to road agencies after approving their budgets and audited accounts.

The agencies that fall under the ministry of Transport and which KRB control include the Kenya National Highways Authority, the Kenya Rural Roads Authority and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority.

According to sources, Ruwa in collusion with officials at KRB wants to influence tenders involving sale of motor vehicles and provision of banking services. What has surprised many is that, despite KRB  operating active bank accounts running into billions for years, Ruwa wants to engage new handlers for unknown reasons. Fear is, together with his cartel at KRB, they want a friendly bank they can manipulate KRB accounts.

A source at KRB revealed, Ruwa boasts to have used his financial weight to land the plum position and that he is well connected. A fabulous man by all means, Ruwa prefers dealing in dollars and not with local Kenya currency.

David Orwenyo

Our source revealed, Ruwa does not get on well with David Orwenyo, general manager, technical compliance, whom he believes is undermining him and schemes to get executive director position. Margaret Ogai is general manager, planning and drogramming. We could not establish which side she is in Ruwa-Orwenyo power struggles. One person said to be close to Ruwa who has left tongues wagging is Lucy Gathika, general manager, legal and corporate affairs. She is said to have put deep into Ruwa head that no decision can be made without her input. The plot to tender bank services was her brainchild. They also fly out during foreign official duties at time sidelining other managers.

 George Juma, head, information and communications technology, has always been heard compaining that his department is under finaced. Hamoud Mguza is head, human resource and administration. George Waithaka, head, supply chain management is allied to Ruwa, Githika camp. Sources say corruption at the board when influencing allocations is beyond control. Further, they push for contractors to win tenders done by agencies that fall under them.

Ogai

KRB has eight members from the private sector representing road user constituents and five members from the public sector.

Board members include Rita Kavashe, chairman, Julius Korir, PS, state department of infrastructure, Nemwel Motanya, alternate director, state department of infrastructure and Kamau Thugge, PS, National Treasury, among others.