Speed up pay for contractors, Nakuru MCAs tell governor

Members of the Nakuru County Assembly now want Governor Lee Kinyanjui’s administration to speed up the payment of pending bills to contractors ahead of the next financial year.

Biashara Ward MCA Joel Karuri Maina said the Ministry of Infrastructure should pay all contractors who have completed their work.

“Some of these contractors have done a good job and should be paid but those who have done a shoddy job should not be paid,” said Mr Karuri.

At the same time, Mr Karuri said that contractors who have done a good job should be awarded future contracts instead of looking for new contractors.

HASTEN PROCESS

“The county government under the leadership of Governor Lee Kinyanjui is doing a good job to clear the pending bills but it must hasten the process and pay those who have cleared their works to the satisfaction of the residents and the county without further delay,” said Mr Karuri.

According to a top county official at the Treasury department, the county is processing the payments of Sh400 million pending bills.

“We are doing the final scrutiny and reconciling our records with that of the Auditor General and in the next couple of days we should be able to conclude the exercise and pay all the genuine pending bills amounting to over Sh400 million,” said the Treasury official who declined to be quoted as he is not the county government’s spokesperson.

UHURU'S DIRECTIVE

The MCAS said suppliers and contractors have not been paid in good time and urged the county to heed President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive to clear the pending bills.

“Many suppliers and contractors are in deep depression while others have died as they wait for their money and others have [had their property] auctioned,” he said.

However, acting Speaker Philip Wanjohi Nderitu told Mr Karuri to substantiate his claims that some contractors had died as a result of depression because of delayed payment.

“Mr Karuri are you trying insinuate that some contractors have died due to delayed payment? If you can’t table the evidence, withdraw your claims,” said Mr Wanjohi who is also the Lare MCA.

SUFFERING

But Mr Karuri said that it is in public domain that some contractors and suppliers are now suffering from several ailments due to delayed payments.

“This is not a Nakuru County problem. It is a problem across all the 47 counties and that is why the governors should heed President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive and clear all the pending bills,” said Mr Karuri.

“The only way to enhance the business spirit in our county and avoid taking investors to early hospital beds is to pay them on time,” insisted Mr Karuri.

Mariashoni MCA Douglas Ayabei said any contractor or supplier with no audit query should be paid without further delay.

Mosop Ward MCA Daniel Mutai also said that contractors who have completed their work satisfactorily should be paid.

“Everybody is entitled to his or her sweat and they should be paid their dues and the relevant authority must fast rack the payment,” said Mr Mutai.

Dundori MCA Machembu Chege said that many contractors and suppliers are going through hard times due to delayed payments.

“They have certificate of completion which they were awarded but it is sad the payments are still pending,” said Mr Machembu.