Last year, the government of Kenya headed by president Uhuru Kenyatta reportedly issued a ban on logging, production and sale of charcoal in the country.
However, on Tuesday, July 9, Kenya’s State House reportedly published an advert in the local dailies asking suppliers of charcoal to bid for a tender to supply the commodity for cooking in the president’s kitchen.
According to Daily Nation, interested entrepreneurs will be required to download tender pre-qualification documents from State House website and register them at the office of supply chain management during office hours.
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"Youth, women and the disabled should provide a valid certificate of registration for the disadvantaged groups. Pre-qualification documents duly completed should be submitted in plain sealed envelopes bearing the appropriate category on the top of the envelope and deposited on the tender box," the advert read.
Tuko.co.ke reports that the ban in 2018 was in line with Uhuru Kenyatta’s government’s resolve to increase the country’s forest cover from 7.4% to 10%, and the ban was extended for another one year by Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko.
In order to achieve the forest cover target, the government reportedly earmarked KSh 18 billion for rehabilitation of forests, aside a KSh 2 billion project which was rolled out for cheaper gas options for counties.
However, the projects were fraught with allegations of corruption as revealed by Auditor General Edward Ouko.
Meanwhile, to be fair, the state house is not only inviting suppliers of charcoal, but also suppliers of liquefied petroleum gas for cooking in its kitchen.