The report for national government, ministries, departments and agencies for the Financial Year 2020/2021 said most of these projects have been stuck long after their completion dates elapsed.
“What is even more glaring is that some of these projects are attracting penalties due to delays in payment of completion certificates of milestones already achieved, while others have been revised to amounts higher than the original contract sum leading to costs escalations,” Gathungu said.
Gathungu added that payments have been made for projects that appear to have completely stalled casting doubt on the value for money for such expenditure.
The Rural Roads Authority was cited for abandoning three road projects after paying out a total of Sh658 million.
The projects were to be built under the Rural Roads Rehabilitation Project in Kenya (Agreement No.KE/FED/023-571).
Sh231.5 million was allocated for the Kyeni – Kathanjure -Karurumo Road works and when the project was abandoned Sh172.1 million had been paid out, the report said.
Under the same project, a total Sh537.2 million was allocated for the Chuka- Kaanwa –Kareni Road but the project was abandoned after a payout of Sh231 million had already been made.
Katuaa-Kee-Nunguni Road (20.5 kilomtres) in Makueni County was allocated Sh362 million but the project was abandoned after Sh255.3 million had been paid to the contractor.
The report further cited the delayed completion of construction of 30 courts by the Judiciary estimated at Sh2.3 billion.
Gathungu also cited State Department for Fisheries, Aquaculture and the Blue Economy for having 18 stalled projects whose value is Sh1.79 billion.
The report added that the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation’s Sh34 million Kanini Irrigation Project in Tharaka Nithi County has been delayed with some Sh25.6 million already paid out.
The Sh204 million Changamwe Re-pooling Sewer Network by Athi Water Works Development Agency was also flagged as stalled with Sh72.8 million already having been paid out.
The report further said the proposed Sh617 million headquarters for Nyandarua County at Ol Kalou by State Department for Public Works was terminated.
“At the time of termination at 16 per cent, payments amounting to Sh101,623,125 had already been made to the contractor,” it said.
It added that the department’s Sh1.2 billion Voi Pool Housing Project had been delayed with some Sh434 million already paid to the contractor.
The report also named the proposed Sh701 million Migori District Headquarters (Phase 1) which has been delayed with some Sh539 million paid to the contractor.
The State Department for Interior and Citizen Services was cited for abandoning Sh161 million Construction Works of Laisamis Police Station and stalled construction of the police Station at Balambala in Garissa County (Sh179 million), Buna Police Station, Wajir County (Sh154 million) and Migori County Headquarters (Sh701 million).
Kenya Urban Support Programme (IDA Credit No.6134 KE) was flagged for incomplete construction of the Sh255 million Central Fire Station and Fire Management System at Kisumu Municipality, which is 76 per cent done.
State Department for Trade and Enterprise Development was cited for the delayed completion of Sh146.6 million Kenya Institute of Business Training (KIBT)Phase II.
In June 2021, a report of the National Assembly Budget Committee disclosed that hundreds of development projects worth Sh9 trillion started during the Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta regimes had stalled.
The projects include roads, office buildings, dams and irrigation undertakings.
The projects were said to be accumulating pending bills, increasing completion costs and exposing Kenya to legal compensation claims by contractors.
“The total cost of stalled projects is Sh9 trillion. This is a worrying trend as it indicates there is no adherence to the project guidelines issued by the National Treasury,” the Budget committee said in its report to Parliament.
The World Bank has said up to 40 per cent of the projects became white elephants during the transition to a devolved system of governance.
It says bout 53 projects are dormant because of diverse factors, including litigation, wayleave challenges, acquisition of land, and funding suspension by donors.
Other reasons for stalling projects have been the imposition of budget ceilings by the National Treasury keen on taming expenditure.
WATCH: The latest videos from the Star
