How Self Declared opposition leader is battling to feast on Jubilee’s tenders

Thirdway Alliance leader Ekuru Aukot has said enough is enough. The self- declared opposition leader is now salivating on having a share of Jubilee’s expensive tenders.

Ekuru Aukot who has achieved milestones on the push for referendum has found himself in a state of antagonism with a sitting senator over the bid to be the sole supplier of digital NTSA driving licenses.

The tender which is worth sh. 2.1 Billion has made Meru Senator Mithika Linturi and former presidential candidate Ekuru Aukot to resolve on a court battle.

Mr Linturi’s firms, Atticon Limited and Ushindi Credit Limited, are pitted against Ekuru Aukot Advocates among other companies that are all laying claim to cash related to the contract to supply new-generation digital driving licences to all Kenyan motorists.

A consortium of firms led by the National Bank of Kenya (NBK) won the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) tender in 2015, defeating 22 companies that had also lodged bids to supply the licences.

At the heart of the licences conflict is a behind-the-scenes deal that settled a legal battle emanating from the tender award, with Aukot’s firm facing accusations of fraudulently receiving cash on behalf of one of the companies in the suit.

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Atticon and Ushindi have accused another company, Pesa Print Limited, which was part of the consortium, of failing to remit Sh80 million from the contract cash paid by the NTSA.

“The claimants have suffered loss and damage in the sum of Sh80 million, as a result of the respondent’s failure to repay the loans – and risk suffering even greater loss and damage unless the arbitrator intervenes,” Ms Nkirote told the arbitrator hearing the dispute.

Atticon Limited claims that Pesa Print failed to pay back a bank guarantee of Sh50 million despite receiving payment from the NTSA.

Pesa Print had also allegedly entered into a deal with Ushindi Credit Limited on the other hand for the payment of Sh30 million from the NTSA proceeds, emanating from the challenging of the award of the tender.\

The battle continues with the two being the finalist on the long list of companies which was eyeing this handsome deal.

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