While the move to tame government spending on projects is commendable, it is worrying that the current state of affairs had been allowed to go on for so long.
The Treasury must now move beyond mere rhetoric to action. There are just too many stalled projects that have ended up costing the Kenya taxpayers billions of shillings.
According to the government, the new guidelines are meant to prevent the birth of white elephants.
The new guidelines have come at a time when the number of stalled projects continue accumulating billions of shillings in additional costs while denying taxpayers value for money.
The Treasury has told cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries and chief executives of state corporations that those seeking external loans and grants to fund projects will only do so within its new guidelines.
One key aspect of the seven-point rules for seeking external support is that a feasibility study report must be inspected and approved by the relevant government entities to ensure the projects conform to the project’s economic viability, costing and design.
The entities will also be required to conduct due diligence and submit a report ascertaining the financial technical and legal competency of the firm picked to implement the project.
It is indeed quite shocking to note that many government projects were being rolled out in haphazard manner only to be abandoned once the monies had been pilfered.
We urge the government to ensure that public servants who breach the new guidelines are prosecuted and surcharged.
It should also go further and audit all collapsed projects so as to charge and surcharge the responsible officials.
The only way we can turn a new leaf in the austerity campaign is by ensuring that past ills are addressed.
Merely rolling out new rules will not end impunity if past misdemeanours are not punished. The key is to make sure that the message is driven home. Public servants should learn that anyone who misuses taxpayers funds will be punished severely.
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