The National Museums of Kenya risks losing Sh139 million paid to a consultant and contractor it hired to put up a seawall at Fort Jesus Heritage Site in Mombasa after it failed to provide full funds for completion of works.
Auditor-General Edward Ouko said delays in releasing Sh543 million meant for the project would lead to loss of public funds.
The Sh543 million includes consultancy and supervisory services against a budgetary provision of Sh300 million.
“Only Sh150 million had been released for the project as at June 30, 2017.
“It was, therefore, not clear how the project was financed under such budgetary constraints,” he said in an audit report tabled in Parliament last week.
Mr Ouko said since the wall was being built adjacent to the ocean using materials with a short lifespan, there was a risk of high tides washing away the temporary sea barriers.
“Being special marine works, and considering works were on the ocean, full funding of the project was required since the temporary cofferdam already constructed was designed for a six-month lifespan,” he said.
The National Museums signed a Sh497.641,850 contract with M/s Yangguang Property Design and Manufacturing Limited in May last year.
The contract was to originally run for six months but due to financial challenges and the dynamics of the project, it was extended by 12 months from June 27, 2017, to June 20, 2018.
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