Contractors blacklisted for poor work on Othaya Hospital
Health PS Nicholas Muraguri addresses journalists after inspecting the progress on the building of the Othaya Level Four Hospital on March 29, 2017. With him is Othaya MP Mary Wambui (left). PHOTO | GRACE GITAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The four-storey hospital has been under construction since 2010.
- Dr Muraguri blamed the contractors for the substandard work.
- The PS admitted that the Health ministry has not done regular supervision of the work.
Four contractors who have been building the Othaya Level Four Hospital have been blacklisted after they were accused of doing shoddy work.
Health Permanent Secretary Nicholas Muraguri Wednesday said that the contractors whose work was terminated in 2016 will be locked out of government tenders.
“Some of the contractors who have done a bad job will miss opportunities to participate in government tenders,” he said.
However, he declined to reveal the blacklisted companies.
He blamed the contractors for the substandard work on the four-storey hospital that has been under construction since 2010.
The national government has injected nearly Sh1 billion towards its completion.
SUPERVISION
However, the PS admitted that the Health ministry has not done regular supervision of the work, therefore delaying its completion, noting it should have been completed within three years.
He emphasised the national government’s commitment to completing the hospital by May 2017 when President Kenyatta will officially open it.
“We have a clear roadmap towards completion of this health facility,” he said.
The Ministry of Health will conduct weekly visits to the site to inspect the progress.
Ten contractors are onsite working round the clock to speed up its completion.
“We admit that there were problems in the past and some of the contracts will rectify some of the mistakes,” he said.
CRACKS ON WALLS
Already, cracks have developed on the walls and parts of the ceiling are hanging.
Othaya MP Mary Wambui said that the contractors have been directed to redo the floor tiles, replace doors and air pipes.
Dr Muraguri said that a major medical camp has been organised in May to mark the start of operations at the 350-bed capacity hospital.
It will serve as a regional hospital for specialised treatment.
During his recent tour in the region, President Kenyatta announced that an extra Sh300 million had been set aside towards its completion.
The project was initiated by former President Mwai Kibaki in 2011 when he was Othaya MP at a cost of Sh500 million.
In 2014, the then Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia, during an assessment visit, said the government had injected an extra Sh272 million to facilitate its completion.
