Fresh details have emerged linking a company associated with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to an unsuccessful bid for the multi-billion Nairobi Railway City Project, just days after the former DP publicly raised concerns about how the tender for the ambitious development was awarded.
Documents seen by this writer indicate that the firm, China Overseas Engineering Group Co. Ltd. (COVEC), participated in the tendering process but failed to secure the contract.
Records further show that the company previously had links to the late Nderitu Gachagua, the former Nyeri Governor and brother to Rigathi Gachagua.
Sources familiar with the procurement process claim the firm has historically been associated with interests linked to the Gachagua family and was allegedly lined up as a possible contender for the tender when Gachagua served as Deputy President.
However, according to insiders,the company’s bid did not progress to the final award stage after technical and financial evaluations were completed.
Past records has also raised some red flags over the companies ability to deliver.
The revelations have sparked fresh political debate, particularly because the former deputy president had recently questioned the manner in which the contract for the project was awarded, calling for greater scrutiny and transparency.
The Nairobi Railway City Project is one of Kenya’s most ambitious urban regeneration programmes, designed to transform the aging railway district in the capital into a modern, integrated transport and commercial hub.
The project will redevelop more than 425 acres of underutilised railway land located just south of Nairobi’s central business district.
The development is expected to integrate commuter rail services, bus transit systems, pedestrian corridors and commercial spaces into a single transit-oriented urban centre.
Government planners envision the project as a solution to Nairobi’s long-standing traffic congestion challenges while also unlocking the economic potential of land owned by Kenya Railways.
Once complete, the project will feature a new world-class central railway station, public squares, pedestrian bridges and mixed-use developments including commercial offices, housing and green spaces.
The redevelopment will also reposition the area around the historic railway corridor as a modern gateway into the city.
Multi-Billion Investment
Estimates place the project cost at approximately Sh27.9 billion to Sh30 billion, making it one of the largest urban infrastructure investments in Nairobi’s history.
The project has attracted international support, including financing arrangements involving the United Kingdom through export credit facilities and technical assistance partnerships aimed at structuring and managing the project.
It is also part of a broader effort to create a multi-modal transport system linking commuter rail, bus rapid transit networks and pedestrian mobility in the Nairobi metropolitan region
