A growing number of contractors and businesspeople are raising serious questions about procurement integrity and alleged fraud within the Kenya Rural Roads Authority, placing one regional manager at the centre of a widening controversy.
Calvince Thomas, a manager attached to the Kenya Rural Roads Authority in Homa Bay region, has found himself under scrutiny following claims by a businessman that he was allegedly swindled millions of shillings in a fake tender deal that never materialised.
The claims, now circulating widely within contractor networks and online investigative platforms, paint a troubling picture of alleged exploitation of desperate contractors seeking government road tenders.
At the heart of the controversy is a complaint by a businessman who claims he lost approximately KSh2 million after being promised access to lucrative road construction tenders that allegedly did not exist.
According to reports published by online investigative platforms, the businessman alleged that he was approached and convinced that he could secure road contracts through facilitation payments and insider connections within KeRRA. (X (formerly Twitter))
The payments, he claims, were made in good faith with the expectation of securing government contracts.
Those contracts never came.
Instead, the complainant alleges that once the funds were transferred, communication ceased and the promised tenders failed to materialise, leaving him counting losses and seeking answers. (X (formerly Twitter))
The allegations, though yet to be tested in court, have sparked renewed concern about the vulnerability of contractors to procurement related fraud within public infrastructure agencies.
Alleged phantom tenders and disappearing funds
According to accounts circulating online and among contractor circles, the businessman was allegedly persuaded that he could secure preferential treatment in road construction tenders through insider facilitation.
The payments were reportedly presented as part of a process to guarantee award of road contracts.
However, after the money allegedly changed hands, the businessman claims the deals collapsed and the supposed opportunities turned out to be non existent.
The complainant has described the experience as a calculated con that exploited the desperation of contractors seeking entry into government funded road projects.
While the full details remain disputed and untested in court, the claims have intensified scrutiny on procurement practices and internal controls within KeRRA.
Attempts to independently verify all aspects of the allegations remain ongoing, and no court has yet pronounced itself on the matter.
A pattern of procurement vulnerability
The controversy comes against a broader backdrop of corruption allegations that have repeatedly rocked road agencies and county infrastructure departments across the country.
Investigations in recent years have exposed cases where contractors were allegedly asked to pay facilitation fees to secure contracts that either never existed or were never awarded.
Anti corruption agencies have in the past warned that infrastructure procurement remains one of the most vulnerable sectors to fraud and manipulation due to the high value of road tenders.
In some cases, officials have been accused of working with middlemen and brokers to solicit payments from contractors under the guise of guaranteeing contracts.
Those practices, investigators say, often leave contractors financially crippled and reluctant to report the crimes for fear of being blacklisted from future tenders.
The allegations surrounding the KeRRA manager have therefore struck a nerve within the construction sector, where many contractors say they have long operated in an environment riddled with informal payments and opaque tendering processes.
Silence and mounting questions
Efforts to obtain an official response from the Kenya Rural Roads Authority regarding the allegations have so far yielded little public clarity.
It remains unclear whether any internal investigations have been launched or whether the matter has been formally reported to anti corruption agencies.
The absence of a clear official statement has only fuelled speculation and concern among contractors who fear similar schemes may be operating undetected.
Public procurement experts say the case highlights the urgent need for transparent digital tendering systems and stronger whistleblower protections to prevent exploitation of contractors.
They warn that without strict oversight, rogue officials and brokers can easily manipulate access to government contracts.
A climate ripe for exploitation
Kenya’s infrastructure boom over the past decade has created enormous demand for road construction tenders, attracting both legitimate contractors and fraudsters seeking to exploit the system.
For many small and medium sized contractors, securing a single government contract can transform a business.
That desperation can make them vulnerable to individuals who promise inside access to tenders.
Industry insiders say fraudsters often operate by claiming to have influence within government agencies, demanding upfront payments for “facilitation” or “processing” of tenders.
Once the money is paid, the promised contracts fail to materialise.
Victims are often reluctant to report the incidents, fearing reputational damage or blacklisting.
The result is a shadow economy of alleged procurement scams that rarely reach court.
Wider corruption concerns in road sector
The allegations also emerge at a time when the roads sector has faced increasing scrutiny from oversight bodies and anti corruption agencies.
Past investigations have revealed cases of procurement fraud, ghost projects and questionable payments within road agencies and county departments.
In one separate case, anti corruption investigators raided homes of senior road officials over suspected misappropriation of hundreds of millions linked to procurement irregularities. (YouTube)
Those incidents have reinforced concerns about systemic weaknesses in oversight and accountability.
Experts warn that unless strong enforcement action is taken against fraudulent procurement schemes, public trust in infrastructure agencies will continue to erode.
Calls for investigation
Contractor associations and transparency advocates are now calling for a thorough investigation into the allegations involving the KeRRA manager.
They argue that the claims, whether ultimately proven or disproven, raise serious questions about the integrity of procurement systems and the protection of contractors.
Some have urged the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to examine the matter and establish the truth.
Others have called on KeRRA to issue a clear statement and, if necessary, initiate internal disciplinary processes.
Legal experts say that if evidence of fraud is established, those involved could face criminal charges including obtaining money by false pretences and abuse of office.
Presumption of innocence
As the controversy grows, it is important to note that the allegations against the KeRRA manager remain claims that have not been proven in court.
No conviction has been secured and no formal charges have been publicly confirmed at this stage.
Under the law, all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
However, the seriousness of the allegations has placed the spotlight firmly on procurement practices within road agencies and the risks faced by contractors.
A test of accountability
For Kenya’s infrastructure sector, the unfolding controversy represents more than an isolated complaint.
It is a test of whether allegations of procurement fraud will be thoroughly investigated and addressed.
It is also a test of whether contractors can safely report suspected scams without fear of retaliation.
For now, contractors are watching closely.
They want answers.
They want accountability.
And they want a procurement system where contracts are won through merit and transparency rather than alleged backdoor dealings.
Until then, the allegations surrounding Calvince Thomas and the Kenya Rural Roads Authority remain a stark reminder of the high stakes and high risks within Kenya’s multi billion shilling road construction sector.
