Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya has blamed the Ministry of Public Works for the stalled Sh160 million residence.
The allegations come amid concerns that millions of taxpayers’ money risk sinking in the project.
The project was initiated five years ago.
Mvurya told the Senate Public Accounts and Investments committee on Tuesday that the ministry has delayed to conduct an audit to establish the value for money already pumped into the project.
The governor, who appeared to respond to audit queries said Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o, demanded the audit be carried out before she approves further funds to complete the works.
“We have written to them but they have not come. We have also asked them to send their regional officers because those from Nairobi are busy,” he told the committee.
Mvurya said the project had initially stopped after the Senate Finance committee capped allocations for construction of governor’s residence.
In 2018, the senate capped the county allocations at Sh45 million in efforts to tame misuse of taxpayers’ money.
Funds for building deputy governor residences and county headquarters should not exceed Sh35 million and Sh500 million respectively, the Senate approved.
However, in April 2020, the county executive applied and obtained authorisation by the Senate committee to proceed with the project.
The senators asked why the project is yet to be completed yet the county’s request to the Senate was approved two years ago.
“Why has it taken you this long?” vide chairman Hargura Godana (Marsabit) said.
Mvurya said the Controller of Budget, who authorises withdrawal of funds for expenditures by state agencies, demanded for a value for money report.
“The only agency that can do that (value for money audit) is the Ministry of Public Works,” the governor said.
In the 2019-20 audit report, the contract for the project was awarded in 2017-18 for a period of 12 months.
The project contract period was extended for four months with the new completion time set for August, 2019.
“The county executive had incurred costs of Sh105.12 million towards the construction of the residence as at June 30, 2020,” the report reads.
However, site inspection in the month of November, 2020 revealed that the contractor was not on site, with minimal work having been done between October, 2019 and November, 2020.
Further, the contractor had not erected a signboard at the construction site although there was an allocation of Sh50,000.
“Consequently, value for money has not been realised on the project which is likely to incur more costs due to the delays in completion,” the report states.
Mvurya and auditors raised concerns that the county could incur more costs with the prolonged delay by the ministry to audit the works and unlock its completion.
“This is the only project that we are very much worried as a county government because of its slow pace,” he told the nine member committee.
Kwale Finance chief officer Alex Onduko said due to the delays, the county has been unable to pay the constructor Sh20 million for certificates raised.
“We are worried because we will incur more costs if this contract is terminated and retendered,” Onduko.
However, the county government has successfully completed the construction of its headquarters at a cost of Sh462.37 million.
The auditor had flagged the project in her 2019-20 report.
“Site visit revealed that the building had been occupied and in use. However, management did not provide for audit review handing over reports for the project,” the report states.
The auditor said it was not possible to establish whether value for money was realised and that the building was ready for occupation.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
“WATCH: The latest videos from the Star”
