Kiambu Sawmillers petition Ruto over 'predetermined' timber auction

Speaking to the press on Thursday, Kiambu-based sawmiller Samuel Mbugua Muhoro said the process of selling the trees was flawed, alleging that the winning bid was awarded to a trader who did not table the highest offer.

According to Mbugua, the successful bidder secured the consignment for Ksh.12 million, despite other traders tabling higher offers, including one of Ksh.15 million.

"We have lost revenue for the country here because we are helping an individual instead of helping the country," Mbugua said.

"Those people from KFS who came here, and those who provided security are all paid by the taxpayer. Selling at a loss means the country loses critical revenue."

He said the traders had met all the requirements set out for the sale, but the outcome had left them questioning the integrity of the exercise.

"We have all the documentation, we followed all the rules but in the end, you see a corrupt government official selling these trees in an unprocedural manner," Mbugua added.

The sawmiller further questioned why the government had introduced auctioneers into a process that traders have historically handled directly with KFS.

"KFS already has people who deal with this from way back. Adding other people in the chain like auctioneers complicates the process, and makes it costly for the taxpayer to pay people who are not needed," he said.

"We are baffled at the sale. We do not know the person who got the tender, we don't know if they are from here even."

The millers appealed to President William Ruto to cancel the process and order a fresh auction, warning that the current arrangement will cost the country revenue.

Timber trader Evans Kariuki echoed the concerns, praising the President for allowing the harvesting of mature exotic trees but faulting the decision to run the sale through an auctioneer.

Kariuki said the auctioneer appeared unaware of the fees traders had already paid to the Kenya Forest Service, and did not appear to account for higher bids tabled during the sale. He added that there was no verification of whether the winning bidder held legitimate documentation.

"The process appeared predetermined. It appeared the auctioneer had already decided who would get the bid. It was a waste of time for the rest of us to be here," he said.

"Before we get to the President, the Director of KFS should intervene. This issue of awarding the lowest bidder is unfair and should be addressed."

The complaints follow a gathering by a section of sawmillers at Kinare Forest in Lari Constituency on Wednesday, July 22, where traders protested what they described as an unfair and opaque auction process.

That auction was held at the KFS tree nursery in Kinare Forest along the Nairobi-Naivasha Highway, where harvested logs were put up for sale.

The traders claim the shift from the traditional competitive bidding system to private auctioneers lacks transparency and has resulted in timber being awarded to bidders who did not submit the highest offers. Some allege the changes are designed to favour a select group of sawmillers at the expense of others who meet the required criteria.