Nyandarua governor quits Sh300,000 a month office

Nyandarua Governor Daniel Waithaka and his cabinet have finally moved into the county’s new headquarters, ending a three-year controversy on their occupation of rented premises in Ol-Kalou town.

The governor and some of the county executives have been operating from two rented floors on a commercial building in Ol Kalou town.
The county has been paying a monthly rent of Sh300,000 for the offices and another Sh50,000 for the parking bay.

The arrangement has cost the Nyandarua taxpayer about Sh10 million in rent during the three-year period the county officials have occupied the rented offices.

The new building is located near the county commissioner’s office.

However, Mr Waithaka declined to comment on the relocation of county offices from the top of the commercial building in Ol-Kalou’s central business district.

There was hue and cry when the governor moved to the commercial building after spending Sh21 million on renovation of two floors.
At one time, Ol Joroorok MP J.M Waiganjo called on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate alleged misuse of public funds at the county.

The MP and other leaders sought to know what happened to Sh61 million the Transition Authority had allocated to the county to build its own offices.

Nyandarua was among three counties that were granted the the cash because they did not have offices.
The county Assembly also got involved in the controversy as it endorsed a report by its Public Investment and Accounts Committee that recommended action against 10 officers in connection with renovation of the private building for governor’s office.

The committee said the Sh21.9 million spent on the upgrade was Sh8 million more than what had been tendered for.

Shoddy design

The MCAs termed the deal a waste of public funds because the lease agreement was only for two years.

The assembly recommended for investigation of former county secretary Isaacs Githui, county finance officer Jesse Mwangi, former head of supplies chain management Ephantus Thigah, county works officer LN Musili, county quantity surveyor JK Ngigi and project architect OW Wasike.

Others were Public Works Department project clerk of works RM Mwaniki, electrical supervisor from the same ministry Titus Macharia, county engineer Zablon Karega and budget officer Patrick Njoro.

Ol-Kalou residents have also criticised the design of the new county headquarters, saying it was shoddily done.

“The plan appears to have been borrowed from Simba Primary School,” said Philip Mwangi in reference to a primary school at the border of Nyandarua and Nakuru counties along the Ol Kalou-Gilgil road.