Grain dryers under stimulus plan stall in devolution push

Dozens of grain dryers procured under the economic stimulus programme (ESP) when President Uhuru Kenyatta was Finance minister are lying idle in government warehouses after the building of complementary storage units failed to take off.

House Agriculture committee has now been directed to investigate the aborted construction of the Sh42 million grain drying and storage facilities across the country, that is unlikely to happen as the function was transferred to counties.

The 36 mobile grain dryers were procured by the ministry of Agriculture in 2011/12 and distributed to districts according to grain volumes and reported aflatoxin contamination when Mr Kenyatta was the Treasury head.

The government had aimed at comprehensively addressing grain quality issues with a view to limiting post-harvest losses and aflatoxin contamination and for sustained grain market value.

“Indeed, most of these dryers are at government offices. Before the grain drying and storage structures are constructed, the security of the dryers will remain paramount to avoid possibility of loss of critical machine components,” the ministry says in a brief.

Construction of grain drying and storage facilities moved to county governments under Legal Notice No. 116 of August 9, 2013, further complicating the process.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi ordered the Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperatives committee chaired by Mohammed Noor to probe the projects conceived by the Agriculture to support the ESP in 2010/2011.

The directive followed a petition tabled in Parliament by Chuka/Igambang’ombe MP Onesmus Njuki. He sought to know when the grain drying and storage facility located in Tharaka Nithi will be completed after being abandoned due to non-payment for works.

Mr Njuki said the project is 50 per cent complete. According to a brief by the ministry of Agriculture, 13 facilities have stalled while 23 others are half-done as of February 2014.

READ: EAC scales up war against deadly aflatoxin

The 13 counties with stalled projects are Kirinyaga, Embu, Makueni, Narok, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Tharaka Nithi, Meru, Kakamega and Nandi. Uasin Gishu, Tharaka Nithi and Kakamega were to have two facilities each.

“The main problem is that the ministry abandoned these projects when it knew the function would be devolved. As a result contractors have not been paid.

“The money meant to complete these projects is being held at the ministry yet the facilities have been handed to counties. Governors can’t pay for projects whose contracts were entered into by the national government,” Mr Njuki said.

He warned that the stalling of the projects will cost the government due to accumulation of pending bills.

Complete projects

“Contractors are not sure whom to ask for the money. They will soon move to court and secure huge awards,” Mr Njuki told the Business Daily in an interview at the Parliament buildings on Friday.

Main works for the Kirinyaga Central and Mbeere North facilities are complete but additional works such as electrical installation and internal wiring, installation of standby generator and provision for three-phase service line, plumbing works and drainage and waste water disposal are not yet done due to lack of funds.

The cost of the additional works amounting to Sh12 million was not factored in to ensure successful completion and smooth operation of the grain drying and storage facilities when the ministry signed 13 contracts with contractors at an average cost of Sh29,786,100.

MPs who spoke in support of the petition asked the Budget and Appropriation committee to set aside funds to complete all ESP projects.