Raila family firm inches closer to lucrative water tender

A company associated with the family of ODM leader Raila Odinga is set to be awarded a lucrative deal to supply water to parts of Kisumu county.

The plan by Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o’s administration is in its final stages. If confirmed, the firm will complement efforts by Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company (Kiwasco) by supplying water in the remaining parts of the county and reducing rationing of the commodity.

Spectre International Limited is part of the flagship business of Mr Odinga’s family, but the company is different from the former PM’s East African Spectre, the liquefied petroleum gas cylinder manufacturer based in Nairobi.

In a letter written by Water executive Salmon Orimba, Spectre International is set to supply water in Kisumu West.

In the letter addressed to Kiwasco managing director Thomas Odongo, Mr Orimba said the decision was arrived at after discussions by a joint technical team comprising the county government of Kisumu, Kiwasco and the Lake Victoria South Water Works Development Agency.

“It was determined that Kiwasco has a deficit in Kisumu West and, therefore, the proposal for bulk water supply by Spectre International Limited will go a long way in augmenting the same,” said Mr Orimba.

He added: “This letter is therefore to ask your company to guide and assist Spectre in the process of implementing the proposal as per the options.”

He also asks for prompt action by Kiwasco and states that he has attached the technical team’s report that led to his decision.

In an exclusive interview with the Nation, Mr Orimba said the county wants to use the facility owned by Spectre International to supply water to areas that have been suffering shortages.

He pointed out that the county government has been having some challenges in supplying water to residents of Kogony, Kisumu Main Prison and the airport area.

“Spectre will help us since they already have structures used to extract water from Lake Victoria and also have a treatment plant,” said Mr Orimba.

Initially the area was being supplied by Gulf Water Company, a water service provider serving the peri-urban and rural parts of Kisumu.

But when the Nation contacted Mr Odongo, the Kiwasco boss, he was non-committal, only saying that no deal had been reached as yet.

The same was stated by a source privy to the negotiations, saying the process was still far from conclusion because as it stands, the molasses plant is shut.

According to the source, the matter is yet to be approved by the water company's Board of Directors.