By Habil Onyango
Many new legislators are abandoning various projects initiated by their predecessors in favor of new ones.
This trend has resulted in stalled projects that cost millions of shillings, depriving the public of the benefits that completed projects would have provided.
Consequently, the value for money invested in these initiatives has not been realized.
The abandoned projects underscore issues such as inefficiencies, financial mismanagement, waste of public resources, and lack of value for money.
According to the audit report for the fiscal year 2023/24, which ended on June 1, 2024, projects worth Kshs. 495,613,717 were reported as stalled and abandoned across 29 National Government Constituencies Development Funds (NGCDF).
Nancy Gathungu, the Auditor General, reported that the Matayos NGCDF had stalled projects valued at Kshs. 85,217,471, whereas the Bomachoge Borabu NGCDF had stalled primary school projects worth Kshs. 73,079,495.
In Ainabkoi NGCDF, eight projects with disbursements of Kshs. 15,532,783 had stalled. Meanwhile, in Awendo NGCDF, Kshs. 13,500,000 was disbursed for the construction of eight classrooms; however, the project remains incomplete and has stalled.
In Bobasi, the construction of a laboratory, library, and classrooms at St. Mathews Chitago Secondary School, which began in the 2018/2019 financial year at a cost of Kshs. 3,700,000, has taken too long to complete.
In Bomachoge Borabu, the construction of classrooms at a cost of Kshs. 73,079,495 has stalled, while Bondo NGCDF had a stalled school project valued at Kshs. 9,000,000.
The contract for constructing an administration block at Bulanda RC Primary School in Butere NGCDF was awarded for Kshs. 3,330,486, with Kshs. 2,300,042 (69 percent) already paid to the contractor.
However, verification of the project revealed that it had stalled since the contractor was absent on-site, with window panes uninstalled, the floor not cemented, and both the interior and exterior walls not plastered as specified in the bill of quantities.
In Funyula NGCDF, Kshs. 4,000,000 was allocated for the completion of a dormitory accommodating 256 students, commencing on September 2, 2024, with an unspecified contract timeline.
“At the time of the audit, only partial excavation of the substructure was completed, and the contractor was again absent on-site,” reads the report.
Additionally, Kshs. 7,000,000 was paid for constructing a storey tuition block containing eight classrooms, which was supposed to include walling, roofing, door and window fittings, electrical work, and plastering of the first floor.
The construction commenced on March 17, 2023, with a planned completion date of September 20, 2024. However, at the time of the audit, the contractor had not completed the electrical and plastering work and was not on site, leading to Ksh. 11,000,000 in stalled projects.
In Emgwen NGCDF, the construction of classrooms and an administration block worth Ksh. 5,850,000 was stalled while in Garsen NGCDF, various projects amounting to Ksh. 17,657,173 were incomplete.
Moreover, in Ikolomani NGCDF, the construction of a storied building and eight classrooms at Bushiangala Primary School had been abandoned, costing Ksh. 5,000,000.
Another notable stalled project includes the construction of a modern library at Ogande Girls High School in Homa Bay Town NGCDF, which had an estimated cost of Ksh. 40,000,000.
In Kapseret NGCDF, four projects valued at Ksh. 10,606,835 were stalled, including the construction of a police station at Kesses, which cost Ksh. 3,512,176.
In the year under review, Ksh. 10,000,000 was disbursed in Kabuchai NGCDF for the construction of a storied classroom block at Busakala Primary School, with a total contract sum of Ksh. 18,950,990. However, the project stalled at the first-floor slab, and the contractor was not on site.
Furthermore, the construction of a science laboratory costing Ksh. 3,890,000 by Kigumo NGCDF has also stalled. In Konoin NGCDF, Ksh. 2,000,000 was allocated for the construction of a dining hall at Chebangang Secondary School, but the project stalled, leading to the termination of the contract.
The site for the construction of the Mutitu Assistant County Commissioner’s Office Block, funded by the Kitui East NGCDF at Ksh. 5,000,000, was abandoned.
Only the substructure and roofing works were completed, while flooring, plastering, installation of windows and doors, ceiling, plumbing, and electrical works had not been carried out.
Despite this, the contractor was paid the full contract sum of Ksh. 5,000,000. The project was not branded to indicate it was funded by Kitui NGCDF, as noted by the Auditor General.
In Luanda NGCDF, various classroom construction projects were stalled at different stages of completion, amounting to Ksh. 54,748,224. Similarly, in Lurambi NGCDF, various primary school projects worth Ksh. 52,025,264 were also stalled.
In Malava NGCDF, a contract for constructing an administration block at Imbiakalo Police Station was awarded on October 13, 2023, for Ksh. 15,999,250, of which Ksh. 9,000,000 (56 percent) had already been paid to the contractor. “The contractor was not on site, over one year after the contract period lapsed,” the report stated.
In Manyatta NGCDF, the delivery, installation, and commissioning of ICT equipment revealed that the Ksh. 949,123 ICT hub was not functional. Additionally, there were numerous stalled projects noted in Matayos NGCDF, including the completion of an administration block at St. Stephen’s Lwanya Girls Secondary School. The contractor had already been paid the full contract sum of Ksh. 38,284,255 (100 percent), while the project was estimated to be only 60 percent complete.
“The project had stalled, and the contractor was not on site,” the Auditor General remarked.
The completion of a multipurpose hall at St. Mary’s Mundika High School also faced delays, with the contractor having received the entire contract sum of Ksh. 46,833,216 (100 percent), while the project was only estimated to be 61 percent complete. Both projects, amounting to Ksh. 85,217,471, had stalled.
In Mukurwe-Ini NGCDF, Kshs 2,000,000 was transferred to Kangurwe Police Post for the construction of a police station.
“A visit to the site in November 2024 revealed that the project was incomplete, with construction stalled and the contractor absent,” reads the report.
“Although the Project Management Committee explained that the project stalled due to inadequate funding, management did not provide a work plan to demonstrate how the Fund intends to complete the project and achieve value for money for the constituents,” stated Gathungu.
In Mumias East NGCDF, a review of procurement records indicated that the PMC entered into a contract for the construction of four classrooms and an administration block at Kenya Water Institute for Ksh. 6,998,590 on April 28, 2022, with a completion period of three months.
However, verification on December 19, 2024, showed that the project was incomplete and the contractor was not on site, with the contract indicating a scope of works that included the completion of the administration block — an indication of unapproved variation.
Nandi Hills NGCDF had four stalled projects, as per the project implementation status report provided, totaling Ksh. 21,900,000.
In Narok South NGCDF, the construction of storied classrooms, to which a total of Ksh. 9,000,000 had been disbursed over two years (2021/2022 and 2022/2023) in equal amounts of Ksh. 4,500,000 each year, had stalled at the ground floor level, with no further funds being allocated to move the project forward.
