Governors accused contractors of inflating cost of projects

A showdown is looming between contractors and county governments in the North Rift over unpaid dues for work done.

The counties have accused the contractors of inflating the cost of projects yet they have done shoddy work.

The county government of West Pokot has, for instance, invited the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to conduct investigations after a report established massive corruption in the award of tenders by the past regime.

Governor John Lonyangapuo has subsequently suspended construction of 23 projects started by his predecessor Simon Kachapin’s administration to pave the way for scrutiny.

“We note with concern that most of the projects were non priority. What was the need for instance of setting up a headquarters in every sub-county yet our people are grappling with abject poverty?” asked Prof Lonyangapuo.

BRIEFCASE CONTRACTORS

The audit by the National Construction Authority (NCA), which was carried out between August and October 2017, indicated that the cost of projects was highly inflated and tenders awarded to briefcase contractors leading to the county losing billions of shillings.

“There was a total disregard to procurement laws and lack of professionalism, which saw contractors awarded lucrative tenders that they had no capacity to handle,” reads the NCA report.

In addition, majority of the contractors were not registered by NCA and therefore did not have a valid practising permits, said the report.

On inflated costs, a hall in Kapenguria, initially valued at Sh26 million, later cost Sh41 million but work is not complete.

In Turkana County, five projects by British oil exploration firm, Tullow Oil, meant to benefit the community were repossessed by a contractor after obtaining a court order.

Shabaa Civil Engineering Construction Company said the contractor had initially agreed with the firm that the total cost of the projects was Sh130 million but only Sh80 million was paid.

NEGOTIATE

The projects are a boys dormitory at Kainuk Mixed Secondary School, a dorm at Uhuru Girls, a science laboratory at Katilu Girls, two classrooms at Karoge Primary School, a hospital in Lokichar town and a dispensary at Kasuroi.

According to a director of the construction company, Ms Cecilia Ng’itit, they entered into a contract with Tullow in 2015 to build social investment projects in Turkana South Sub-county but upon completion resolved a measurement of work formula.

Ms Ng’itit added: “That was the same formula introduced when we were still constructing the projects and we protested by recalling our workers at the sites but they later rubbished it only to stick to it after we had even handed over the projects to the beneficiaries.”

DROP CASE

She said they went to court and enjoined the Ministry of Energy and Tullow asked them to drop the case and negotiate. The negotiations were not fruitful and they pleaded with the court to have their projects back and close all projects for six months until payment of the balance.

In Nandi County, Governor Stephen Sang said an investigations team had been constituted to ascertain the sum of debts inherited from the previous regime in order to pay genuine creditors.

He, however, maintained that his administration would not pay cartels who colluded with rogue finance officials to win contracts irregularly or did shoddy jobs.

Among the pending bills include the unfinished governor’s office and improved infrastructure initiated by Dr Cleophas Lagat.