- The projects were flagged by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu who questioned why they were not implemented despite funds having been allocated.
- Sang clarified that at the time of the audit, most of the projects were still in the planning stages and there were challenges caused by contractors among other hitches.
Nandi Governor Stephen Sang says 490 projects worth about Sh1.4 billion have not stalled and will soon be completed.
The governor says there were delays in the implementation process for some of the projects but the hitches had been sorted out and work was going on well.
The projects were flagged by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu who questioned why they were not implemented despite funds having been allocated.
Sang clarified that at the time of the audit, most of the projects were still in the planning stages and there were challenges caused by contractors among other hitches.
“In some cases, contractors who were awarded the projects could not deliver and we had to repeat the same processes while ensuring we follow the laid down procedures. All that takes time,” he said.
The projects ranged from small ones like cattle dips costing about Sh200,000 to big projects costing more than Sh5 million.
In the last two months, Sang has been working out of office to ensure work on the projects is going on smoothly.
Other hitches which affected implementation included delays in identification of project sites, acquisition of relevant land approvals and way leave approvals.
Last week, Sang appeared before the Senate County Public Accounts and Investments committee where he was questioned on the issues raised by the auditor general including the projects.
The governor was asked about the use of Sh6.74 million on procurement of murrum to repair county roads by the county government.
There were claims that the county procured murrum from same sites with other private contractors causing possible confusion in procurement that may have led to loss of money.
“We bought the murrum from suppliers and paid as per what we purchased just like the other buyers. The sites where we got the murrum did not belong to the county and we could not stop the owners from selling to other people,” Sang said.
The governor said all necessary documentation on the purchase of the murrum was prepared and due process followed.
He said the purchase of the murrum was above board, adding that his administration targeted to improve 2,400km of earth road during the fiscal year.
“This was done and the same can be confirmed,” he said, adding that all the vehicles that transported the murrum were properly ticketed and cleared procedurally.
Sang said the bills of quantities for murrum works were generated at the subcounty level and the same was used during the inspection by the subcounty inspection team.
During the appearance at the Senate, committee chairman Ochillo Ayacko said it was important that the governor had come out to explain issues raised by the Auditor General.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei had also questioned the purchase of the murrum and claimed documentation in the procurement may have been ‘cooked’.
However Sang said the entire process was done at the subcounty level with documentation taking time to prepare.
The governor told the Star all the delayed projects were now on course and were at different levels of implementation. “Residents of Nandi should rest assured that the projects I initiated and those I found ongoing will be completed,” he said.
Some of governor’s flagship projects will be commissioned in the next few months including those in the health and water sectors.
-Edited by SKanyara