The Treasury has rejected a plan by Foreign Affairs ministry to sell Kenya House, the official Ambassador’s residence in New York.
Documents tabled in Parliament show the Treasury overruled the Ministry of Public Works on plans that the Foreign Ministry put up the dilapidated building for sale on grounds that its refurbishment is not viable.
The Kenya House is in a deplorable state and the Ambassador stays in rented premises.
The Ambassador’s residence, which was built in the 1970s, sits on a three-acre plot complete with a presidential suite.
The Foreign Ministry had in 2014/15 advertised for bids for comprehensive renovations of the building but only one bid was returned quoting Sh376.5 million ($3 million).
“At that price, the refurbishment of the residence was considered not economically viable,” Korir Sing’oei, the Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary told the Public Accounts Committee.
The Treasury, however, rejected the recommendation.
“The National Treasury recommended that the property be retained for redevelopment with apartments for the staff or for revenue general, and that funding for the purchase of alternative Ambassador’s residence is sourced during the Sector Working Group process for the preparation of the 2018/19 and subsequent financial year’s budget,” Dr Sing’oei said.
