How a firm close to Ruto won a Sh337 billion tender

Fresh revelations have emerged about EDF Kenya Ltd, a company that used proximity to President William Ruto to clinch a Sh337 billion Grand Falls Dam project.

EDF, we can reveal, never bid for the project and their only entry into the mega dam scandal was a letter they wrote to the National Irrigation Authority, saying the company’s leadership had held a high-level meeting with President Ruto in Paris, where the tender was discussed and EDF should therefore be awarded the project.

The multi-billion shilling project had been awarded to British firm GBM in 2022. The National Treasury cancelled it in early July 2025, claiming the Project Development Report (PDR) failed to meet regulatory and PPP Act requisites. 

Despite a new company EDF being introduced for the project, as of yesterday, there are no records at National Irrigation Authority to indicate the new company favoured for the project ever submitted a bid for the dam tender, put together and submitted a proposal or even paid Sh50,000, a prerequisite to get the tender documents. EDF neither submitted a technical proposal, an environmental study, or a financing model for the project. 

The High Grand Falls Multipurpose Dam Project was to generate hydroelectric power, bolster irrigation development, manage floods in three counties and supply drinkable water. To further cement EDF’s position in the project they did not bid for, the National Irrigation Board on January 31, 2025 wrote to Water Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho recognising EDF as a partner.

However, the National Irrigation Board in their letter, states that EDF is unqualified for the project since it will take them up to a year to submit a proper proposal and the company lacks financial muscle to undertake such a project.

“Compared to GBM, the EDF proposal is still at a very nascent stage...their proposal does not fully comply with the information stipulated under the PPP Act in terms of submission and a lack of financial model,” says NIA boss Charles Muasya, who gives PS Kimotho four options.

Cancel the tender and face legal and financial consequences, let GBM continue with the project or issue restricted bidding between EDF and GBM. The fourth option, in the letter, would be to pair the two companies to undertake the project. Muasya however says his advice would be “Considering the merits and the demerits of each option, we recommend selection of an option that permits GBM to proceed with the project.”

Despite the client, the National Irrigation Authority, stating satisfaction with GBM handling the dam project, the National Treasury on 21 July 2025, wrote to Muasya asking him to terminate the GBM contract. “We were advised during the Ordinary PPP Committee meeting held on 2 July, the committee approved termination of the project.”

Interestingly, the letter was dated 19th August but submitted to GBM MD Michael Short on 3 of September, 16 days later. According to PPP rules, an aggrieved party only has two weeks to appeal a rejection, so the letter to GBM was sent more than two weeks after it was written and signed, to close off the appeal window.

The cancellation came despite the fact that six months earlier, the project steering committee made up of experts from several government agencies had given GBM a clean bill of health and, in their report, recommended that the project proceed. GBM in documents filed before the PPP committee says it has spent Sh1 billion in the project already.

The firm claims to have spent up to USD25 million on feasibility studies and preparatory works over several years.

The matter has drawn political heat, where former Attorney General Justin Muturi linked Ruto’s administration to the cancellation of the GBM deal. “Ruto has been pushing for a preferred Chinese company to take over the project. They have registered a company in France and have Chinese faces to come for this project,” Muturi claims.

Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has also said President Ruto promised then British Prime Minister Sunak that GBM, which had already won the tender, would be supported to finish the project.

The High Grand Falls Multipurpose Dam Project was meant to generate hydroelectric power, bolster irrigation development, manage floods in three counties, and supply drinkable water.