A plan by Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago to buy a building in Eldoret at Sh568 million has been stopped by MCAs.
The MCAs resolved the deal was doubtful and declined to approve the expenditure.
Speaker David Kiplagat has written to the Controller of Budget, National Bank (which owns the building), the county government, Treasury and the Attorney General rejecting the planned purchase.
“My office will move with speed to ensure this resolution of the house as concerns the bank purchase is effected to ensure we safeguard public funds”, Kiplagat said.
A committee of the assembly had grilled county executive for Lands Nelson Maritim who gave conflicting figures, raising suspicion on the deal.
The committee had given Maritim seven days to give facts of the deal but when the matter came up in the assembly, MCAs rejected it.
Majority Leader Josphat Lowoi moved the motion to stop the purchase and it was unanimously passed by the house.
Mandago’s cabinet had approved the purchase of the building located adjacent to the county headquarters along Uganda Road in Eldoret.
MCA Hosea Korir who is deputy speaker said there were legal issues on ownership of the National Bank building.
MCA Gilbert Tenai supported the motion, saying the county government was not providing reliable facts of the purchase.
The MCAs questioned the Sh568 million price after a valuation report showed the county would lose Sh50 million.
The valuation report presented by Maritim indicated that the cost of land was Sh400 million, Sh50 million less than the county was going to pay.
Maritim told the assembly costing included Sh450 million for the land and Sh168 million for the building.
“We want the correct figures because you are conflicting yourself by saying a different figure from what is in the valuation report,” assembly Majority Leader Josphat Lowoi said.
Maritim said his office had hurriedly prepared for the assembly meeting leading to confusion in figures.
The executive said the correct figure was Sh400 million for the land and Sh168 million for the building.
Lowoi said they needed an authenticated valuation report.
“We also needed a report from the National Land Commission on this matter and insist that the AG should have been consulted so that we don’t get into trouble,” Lowoi said.
