Nairobi, May 23 -- In Kenya's procurement arena, power is often measured by the ability to secure mega deals. For Chinese national Ying Du, however, what stands out is her ability to win both small and large public contracts.

That is because she is unlike many Chinese contractors, who are typically associated with big-ticket infrastructure projects such as the standard gauge railway and the Thika Superhighway, where engineering capability is often the key selling point.

Rarely are Chinese-linked firms found competing for relatively modest supply contracts such as refrigerated bulk milk coolers worth Sh69.7 million. Such tenders are often reserved for locally registered firms, particularly those owned by Kenyan citizens.

Under the Publi...