A procurement controversy is casting doubt over whether Kenya can roll-out its Ksh 17.5 billion school laptop project in a transparent manner.

Conflict between tendering companies and the ministry of education has erupted after the latter has been accused of top-listing an Indian company, Olive Telecommunications, to supply the laptop contract.

Tendering companies have alleged Olive Telecommunications has not met the basic tendering requirements.

Serious questions have been raised after it emerged that Olive Telecommunications is not a device manufacturer, as it uses a Chinese subcontractors to manufacture their ‘Olive’ branded electronic devices, thus directly contravening the tender project’s original equipment manufacturers (OEM) requirement.

“Only OEM may participate in the tendering,” states part of the laptop tender rules.

The Kenyan government decided to add this particular rule after it emerged brokers had participated in the first round of tendering, which led to an inflation of costs.

Despite this requirement, Olive Telecommunications has been allotted the top position, as it pitched the lowest bid of Ksh 22 billion, as compared to a Ksh 23 billion proposed by US based Hewlett Packard (HP) and Ksh 24 billion by Chinese firm Haier Electricals Appliances Corporation.

Indications are that Olive may not be manufacturing the devices locally either: another sore point especially as the second and third bidders had offered to establish Kenyan assembly plants for the laptops.

Kenya’s ministry of education; though, is yet to offer official communication on these reports, further deepening concerns over the transparency of the laptop tendering process.