• Market will accommodate 200 traders, county constructing three new markets at Bamba, Kaloleni and Gongoni.
• Contractor gives new deadline, February, when he says he will hand over project to county.
Image: ELIAS YAA
Kilifi county government officials on Wednesday toured the Mtwapa market that was set to be completed by September 2017.
The Sh200 million project was started in 2016 and was meant to cost Sh134 million but due to variations and inclusion of the loading zone, the price shot up.
Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi, who led the officials, said the contractor has promised to hand over the project by the end of February.
“We held a lengthy talk with the contractor and he has given us his challenges. He is currently facing a cash crunch but he is mobilising more funds to finish the project,” Saburi said.
The market will accommodate about 200 traders.
The deputy governor was accompanied by Trade CEC Nahida Mohammed, her Roads counterpart Prof Josphat Mwatela and county engineers.
“This is one of our flagship projects and we are sometimes finding it hard to explain the delay," Saburi said.
He said the project is vital because it will both provide a good working environment for traders and decongest Mtwapa town. Currently, traders are selling their goods in a makeshift market, which officials called "hostile".
Despite the delay, Mwatela expressed satisfaction with the work that is 95 per cent complete.
“Actually, this is something that can be completed within two weeks if the contractor injects a good workforce. It's only painting and fittings. Most of the work is complete. We are also finalising the tendering process of the loading zone which will take less than a month to complete,” he added.
The CEC said she visited the site three weeks ago and was impressed by the workforce deployed.
“I was so impressed and knew this project would be completed in two weeks or so but today there are very few workers," she said.
"Let this be your final promise. Traders want to move in here because of the hostile environment they are working in right now,” she said
The county is building three markets at Bamba, Kaloleni and Gongoni, the executive said.
Contractor Daje Enterprises Limited said the delay was caused by cash flow and other problems.
Executive chairman David Mutambuki said one reason for the delay was deviations from the original design. "This project would have been complete if the project was not redesigned," he said.
Mutambuki said the project can be finished in two weeks if the county government can pay him five per cent of the retention fee.
"The delay has also affected me greatly because I got funds from several financial institutions who are now on my neck,” he said.
The deputy governor instructed engineers to come up with a work plan with the contractor and make the February deadline is met.
Edited by R.Wamochie