MPs demand funding of stalled Sh4.7bn education resource centre

Lawmakers now want the government to fully fund the construction of the education resource centre hosted at KICD.

The Public Investments Committee On Education and Governance led by Chair Wanami Wamboka inspected the stalled building on Tuesday.

The team said the project had stalled for years, as a result of delayed funding which has led to losses over the years.

"We were concerned about a building that has taken over 10 years continuing to eat government money is yet to be completed," Wamboka said.

The building whose construction began in 2011 has six phases: the first phase is at almost 80 percent completion.

"We will get to the bottom of it and it will get to its feet. There are just glaring inconsistencies which we have seen but it will be dealt with," he said.

This, he said, includes the supervising consultant being paid Sh577 million, which could be used for the construction of the resource centre.

"It's premature to pronounce ourselves on anything, but we have advised the contractor to go back on site, as we sort the issues. Let him finish phase one," he said.

Kilome MP Nzambia Thaddeus said the government should allocate the required amount of money towards the completion of the building.

Nzambia said the government should complete all stalled projects, before beginning new ones.

"Ten years down the line the cost of materials has changed and all that. If the government can chip in and allocate money all projects in a few months will be done," Nzambia said.

The lawmaker cited an example of Mtihani House whose construction began in 1985 but was eventually completed in 2022.

Nzambia was a member of the 12th Parliament education committee which oversaw the completion of Mtihani House.

"We pumped in a lot of money. One weakness is contractors take advantage of delayed funds," he said.

Kiminini MP Kakai Bisau warned of delayed projects which he said are occasioned by poor procurement decisions.

Bisau said the government should not go for the lowest cost but the most committed team.

"It looks like you picked the lowest cost. What is expected is a contractor who can design and build, and deliver not one who waits for funding," he said.

The construction of the resource centre began under the Kenya Institute of Education, which then was under the ministry of education.

The building whose total cost was estimated at Sh4bn has seen Sh786 million being used for the construction of the first phase.

The construction of the building began two years before KICD came into existence.

KICD was established by the Government of Kenya on January 14 2013 under an Act of Parliament.