Cheap housing project in Ngara raises eyebrows

A housing project on Kinshasa Road in Ngara that will cost taxpayers upwards of Sh5 billion displays no approvals from Nema, the National Construction Authority or the Nairobi City County authorities, sources whisper to Corridors. For a project of this magnitude, Nema requires a full environmental impact assessment. Was this done? The average construction cost per unit — for the 1,370 houses — is more than Sh3.6 million. But the houses will be sold for an average Sh2 million, with the taxpayers subsidising the difference. Some economists and quite a few others are asking the obvious. And is DPP Noordin Haji aware of this?

Ordinarily, a senior official of a major political party would be the last person to complain of struggling financially. Holding a top position in such an outfit would mean being close to the whos's who and having access to lucrative deals. However, an official of an opposition outfit is said to be flat-broke and has of late been irritating friends with endless requests for financial favours. The official is said to be heavily in debt and is now being avoided by most of his old friends. His situation leaves one wondering whether parties don’t pay their staff despite their receiving millions from the government.

A second-term MP in Nyanza is said to be torn between going for the governor's seat and defending his current post for fear of suffering a loss. The soft-spoken but abrasive man told his handlers he has fears of going for the top seat as the move may cost him his political career. This was after he discovered that a former colleague with immense influence on the politics of the region — on whose support he pegged his ambitions — may have ditched his camp in favour of a rival. The lawmaker was heard cursing that after being promised support by the renowned ex-legislator, the man still hosted his opponent for Christmas and New Year celebrations where the upcoming race was at the top of the agenda.

Withdrawal from public functions and events by a senator from Western region now worries his friends and foes alike. The man who used to socialise freely with his peers nowadays avoids most events that bring the region’s leaders together. The lawmaker also rarely attend big functions organised in his county. Corridors has been informed the senator who now cuts a lone-ranger figure is also not keen on attending the Building Bridges Initiative forum in Kisii county today. Just what has happened to the once-vocal legislator? That remains the question on the lips of his colleagues.