AfDB debars Kenyan firm, Global Interjapan, over fraudulent practices

By Charles Abuede

The African Development Bank (AfDB) on Tuesday announced that it has debarred Global Interjapan Limited, a Kenyan civil engineering company, from participating in the bank’s projects in the next 3 years over fraudulent practices during a tender for the bank-financed Small Scale Irrigation and Value Addition Project in Kenya.

The debarment followed an investigation by the office of integrity and anti-corruption of the African Development Bank (AfDB) on the eastern African civil engineering company.

The AfDB, in a media statement through its communication and external relations department, noted that the 36 months debarment, which is effective from 24 August 2020 renders the engineering firm and its affiliates ineligible to participate in the bank’s group-financed projects during the debarment period. The developmental financial institution for the African continent also stated that the debarment qualifies for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions, including the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank Group.

The small scale irrigation and value addition project, which was co-founded by the African Development Bank, is aimed at poverty reduction through the enhancement of agricultural productivity, food security and income among others.

Meanwhile, at the expiration of the debarment period, Global Interjapan (Kenya) Limited will only be qualified to participate in bank group-financed projects on the condition that it implements an integrity compliance programme unfailing with the bank’s guidelines.