Kenyan Entrepreneur in Germany Wins Contract to Manage Kisumu County Waste

A German based company, Celler Brunnenbau GmbH, run by a Kenyan entrepreneur, Renish Omullo, has won the contract to help Kisumu county manage waste.

Renish Achieng’ Omullo who is the first African to hold the position of business development manager, at the Berlin based company, in a statement said she will work with the counties to help them solve waste management challenges and urged the counties to seek funds for water and waste management project.

“I look forward to helping the counties develop proper waste management policies. Solid waste can be used to manufacture manure and biogas,” Omullo said.

However, the road to this contract has not been smooth. It started in 2013, when Madam R Enterprises (MRE), a company founded in 2007 and headed by Renish won a bid to provide solid waste management services to the county of Kisumu. The contract was to run for 15 years at a cost of Sh. 1.2 billion a year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4aNdydmb9A

January 2014, a delegation from Kisumu county including: MPs: Fred Outa (Nyando), Olago Aluoch (Kisumu West), Ken Obura (Kisumu Central), Shakeel Shabbir (Kisumu East), Onyango K’Oyoo (Muhoroni) and Aduma Owuor (Nyakach); County Assembly Speaker Ann Adul and county representatives Prisca Auma, Aggrey Ogosi, Eddy Anayo and Malin Atieno, travelled to Germany to ascertain MRE’s capacity to handle the contract.

All was set for work to start when a local businessman, Erick Okeyo, went to the High Court. In his petition, Mr. Okeyo claimed the beneficiary of the tender is a sole proprietor, registered in 2007, and is not known in the waste management industry. He went further to claim the county government did not follow procurement rules as tender was not advertised and that there were family relations between Renish Omullo and the county finance minister, Mr. Joseph Omulo Okal.

“It is doubtful that the company has the appropriate qualifications, experience, equipment, capability and facilities since it has no operational offices,” he stated.

MRE management, denied these claims.

MRE has won other contracts and will be working with Nyeri and Busia counties as well towards sustainable solid waste management.