Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) has collaborated with the World Bank to acquire
24 Diesel Multiple Unit air compressors, a measure designed to boost the dependability
of Nairobi’s commuter rail services.
The acquisition, initiated through a public tender notice released by KRC on May
12, falls under the Kenya Urban Mobility Improvement Project (KUMIP), which is
financed by the World Bank.
“The Government of Kenya has sought financing from the World Bank for the Kenya
Urban Mobility Improvement Project (KUIMIP) and plans to utilize part of the funds
for payments related to the contract for the acquisition of Twenty-Four (24) Diesel
Multiple Unit (DMU) air compressors,” mentioned the notice partially.
These train diesel compressors serve as essential components that provide
compressed air to operate the brakes, doors, wipers, and horns.
Crucially, they operate continuously to maintain appropriate pressure levels,
guaranteeing dependable and secure passenger train operations.
The tender has been issued through international competitive procurement,
meaning suppliers globally can participate as long as they satisfy the established
criteria.
“Bidding will proceed via international competitive procurement employing a
Request for Bids (RFB) as outlined in the World Bank’s procurement guidelines,”
added the notice.
Following completion of the procurement process, the air compressors will be
installed at the Kenya Railways Nairobi Central Workshops Stores, integrating them
into the current fleet of Diesel Multiple Unit trains that serve commuter routes.
The procedure adheres to the World Bank’s procurement regulations, which dictate
how borrowing nations must execute procurement for World Bank-supported projects.
“Bidding will be carried out through international competitive procurement using a
Request for Bids (RFB) as specified in the World Bank’s ‘Procurement Regulations
for IPF Borrowers,” stated the notice.
As part of the tender requirements, KRC mandates that each bidder must provide a
bid security of Ksh1.5 million in the form of a bank guarantee from a registered
commercial bank in Kenya, remaining valid for 240 days from the tender’s opening
date.
The deadline for bid submission is June 11, 2026, with electronic bidding
specifically prohibited and any late bids automatically rejected without review.
This development follows the World Bank’s cancellation of a comparable tender on
April 28, which amounted to Ksh65 billion under unspecified conditions.