Chinese firm forged documents for Kenya project: Report

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - A government probe has revealed that a Chinese company forged documents to get a contract worth millions of dollars to build a road in western Kenya, local media reported on Wednesday.

The investigation by Kenya’s National Construction Authority (NCA) was launched after a bridge portion of the dual carriage highway linking the Kisii and Ahero regions collapsed amid heavy rains in March last year, according to news website Kenyans.co.ke.

Investigators found that the annual practicing license and a contractor's license submitted by China Construction Third Engineering Bureau to secure the contract, worth 9 billion Kenyan shillings (some $82 million), were forged.

“Investigations revealed that the bridge was hurriedly constructed and essential steps that would have pointed out environmental challenges early enough skipped,” read the report.

The NCA said the collapse “could have been avoided had the contractor complied with basic regulations.”

The probe team also found that the Chinese company has “been performing three other road projects without the required approvals.”

The firm has been “suspended from the NCA registrar until the inquiry is completed,” according to the report.