I won’t move into house, says Kalonzo

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka will not be moving into his Sh400 million official residence, after all.

The VP said on Thursday it would not be prudent to move into the palatial home, in the leafy Karen suburb with only three months remaining to the March 4 General Election.

Mr Musyoka is eying the presidency on a Wiper Democratic Party ticket.

“Is it really worth it to move in with only three months left to the elections? This house belongs to the deputy president,” he said yesterday during the commissioning of the mansion by President Kibaki.

And he joked that some of Cabinet ministers like Chirau Mwakwere (Environment) had indicated that owing to the beauty of the house, they would work hard to be running mates of their preferred presidential candidates.

The complex building on a 10-acre plot comprises a main house, office block, guesthouse, gazebo with a fully-equipped gym, steam bath and a bar, garage capable of holding six cars, generator house, swimming pool and comptroller’s unit.

It also has a security unit with an armoury, domestic staff quarters, pergola walkway, pump house, water treatment plant, borehole and low-level water tank. (SEE IN PICTURES: Kibaki opens VP mansion)

Mr Musyoka said the mansion was not constructed with him in mind despite its construction starting in 2004.

President Kibaki said the country had for a long time not had an official residence of the vice president, forcing the government to renovate personal residences of those appointed to the position.

“To avoid the inconveniences and recurrent expenditures associated with this approach, we made the decision to construct the facility. The complex will now ensure that the occupant of the office has a convenient and adequately secure residence,” he said.

President Kibaki said the government had committed lots of funds towards improving infrastructure. The Head of State revealed that most of the 226 stalled projects identified when he took up the country’s leadership had been completed.

“It is clear that we are on course in developing the necessary infrastructure required for the development of the country,” he said.

The government resolved to construct the official residence of the VP in 2004 and the tender was given to Dimken Kenya Ltd to carry out the works at a cost of Sh197 million.

The contract was later terminated due to non-performance and the works given to another firm, with the costs doubling to Sh383 million.