• At least Sh149 million has been set aside to pay the contractor’s pending bill in 2019-20 financial year.
• Governor Samboja revealed that he inherited pending bills amounting to over Sh900 million from his predecessor.
Contractors in Taita Taveta have protested over delayed payment of Sh400 million debt by the county government.
County’s Chamber of Commerce chairperson Andrew Shughuli said on Wednesday the contractors are faced with financial crises and bankruptcy due to unsettled loans that they had secured to service the tenders.
“Contractors and suppliers are yet to be paid for services rendered since the 2014-15 financial year. This has totally killed our businesses and weakened the economy,” Shughuli told journalists in Voi.
He said the county government has defied orders by President Uhuru Kenyatta that directed all counties to pay pending bills owed to contractors by the end of the financial year, before embarking on new projects.
“The government has already advertised tenders for new projects yet it has not settled debts. There is no indication whatsoever that they are planning to pay,” Shughuli added.
Contractor Gedion Mwasingo asked Governor Granton Samboja to convene a meeting with county contractors and suppliers to iron out issues of delayed payments, among other grievances.
“The business community is willing to work with the county government, but we cannot continue risking our investments. Most of us have lost all their valuables through auctions for failing to repay loans.”
Contractor Ronald Mwambire lamented that he has not been paid since 2016, despite constantly supplying the government with vehicle tyres and spares.
“I feel bad when I meet the county vehicles cruising with my tyres when I have not been paid over Sh1.9 million. Every time we come, we are told there is no money,” he said.
The contractors wondered why they have to physically follow up their payments with the county finance office when they had already delivered goods and services.
“This habit breeds corruption. We urge the governor to restructure his government so that there is efficiency in service delivery,” Mwambire said.
At least Sh149 million has been set aside to pay contractor’s pending bill in the 2019-20 financial year.
Earlier, Governor Samboja revealed that he inherited over Sh900 million pending bills from the previous administration.
Samboja said the government was in the process of settling the debt.
“I inherited a very huge debt from the former governor. It has been my priority to settle all the pending bills, and we authoritatively reveal that we are in the final process of paying all the debts,” Samboja said.
Samboja said a new centralised procurement that has been put in use this financial year will ensure that all suppliers and contractors are payed promptly.