MPs query award of contracts for county markets

• The ministry, the MPs said, tendered for the construction of the open air markets in various counties from Nairobi, affecting supervision of the multi-million shilling project.
• The tender winners in turn subcontracted leading to poor quality and low completion rates.
• Out of the 211 units, 64 have not been completed three years after the project was initiated while more than 20 are still in their initial stages.
• The parliamentary committee on Local Authorities Fund questioned why contractors close to the project location were not considered for jobs which would stimulated local economies as intended.
• Prof Mutahi, who is the accounting officer, said he opposed the centralised contracting system, adding he had taken a similar position while at the Ministry of Education.
• The building of most of the open air markets in Nairobi and Mombasa have not been started since the councils were yet to provide land.
• Saku market in Marsabit, Olkalou, Limuru, Sigor, and Molo markets among others have barely started according to the latest status report.

The Ministry of Local Government failed to decentralise the award of tenders for building regional hawker markets under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP), ending up with more than a third incomplete units to date.

The ministry, the MPs said, tendered for the construction of the open air markets in various counties from Nairobi, affecting supervision of the multi-million shilling project.

The tender winners in turn subcontracted leading to poor quality and low completion rates.

Out of the 211 units, 64 have not been completed three years after the project was initiated while more than 20 are still in their initial stages.

The parliamentary committee on Local Authorities Fund questioned why contractors close to the project location were not considered for jobs which would stimulated local economies as intended.

“How come it is only your ministry which has decided to do all the tendering for the projects from Nairobi?” the chairman of the committee Thomas Mwadeghu asked the Permanent secretary ministry of local government Karega Mutahi.

Mr Mutua Nzoka, who is the director for Market Development at the ministry, said he was not responsible for tendering.

“I was not party to the decision to centralise the contracting of the markets,” said Mr Nzoka.

Mr Nzoka also blamed the slow disbursement of funds by the Treasury to the projects for the delays.

The MPs blamed the “shoddy work” and slow pace on subcontracting.

Prof Mutahi, who is the accounting officer, said he opposed the centralised contracting system, adding he had taken a similar position while at the Ministry of Education.

The ESP projects included construction of schools, markets, and fish ponds and were meant to lift the flagging economy following the 2008 chaos and a global economic downturn.

The building of most of the open air markets in Nairobi and Mombasa have not been started since the councils were yet to provide land. The ministry said that the markets in Nairobi may never be constructed due to the land issue.

This financial year, Sh224 million was allocated for the project against Sh821 million for contractors.

For instance Saku market in Marsabit, Olkalou, Limuru, Sigor, and Molo markets among others have barely started according to the latest status report.