Mystery surrounds funding for Bomas of Kenya conference centre
MPs say they have not been given clear details about the project’s budget, timelines, or financing arrangements.
Members of Parliament have raised concern over a "secretive" plan to upgrade Bomas of Kenya into a modern conference centre, questioning the source of funding and the lack of transparency surrounding the project.
They say Parliament has not been given clear details about the project’s budget, timelines, or financing arrangements.
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A report by the National Assembly’s Liaison Committee highlights that the government has not provided sufficient information on how the project will be funded.
“The Bomas of Kenya is currently in the initial stages of constructing an ultra-modern conference facility. However, the State Department for Culture, Arts and Heritage has not furnished the [Liaison] Committee with clear funding modalities for the project, including projected costs, source and funding arrangements and timelines,” the report stated.
Despite these concerns, a dispatch from the Cabinet last Tuesday announced that construction would begin next week.
However, the project does not appear in the country’s budget books, including the second mini-budget for the fiscal year ending in June, which Parliament recently approved.
According to the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act 2015, a government body must have a clearly defined and approved budget before beginning any tendering process.
Procurement battles
The project has already faced procurement battles, leading to the removal of Summa Construction, a Turkish firm initially awarded the contract.
The Ministry of Defence had been assigned to oversee the project but later terminated Summa Construction’s contract due to lack of funds and changes in the scope of work.
The issue has drawn public attention, especially after the government announced on March 11, 2024, that the Bomas International Convention Complex (BICC) would begin construction within two weeks.
This followed claims by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua that Bomas of Kenya had been sold to a Turkish national, an allegation the Ministry of Culture dismissed.
Summa Construction was awarded the tender in November 2023 and proposed to construct and equip the conference complex at a cost of $245 million (about Sh31.7 billion).
The Public Procurement Administrative Review Board (PPARB) upheld the tender and gave the parties 90 days from December 23, 2024, to finalize the contract.
The board ruled that the Ministry of Defence could only cancel a tender before its award, not after.
The Turkish company had also pledged to help the government secure up to 80 per cent of the funding from a well-established international financier.
The review board was informed that following Treasury’s advice, the project would be financed off-budget through the African Export-Import Bank (Afrexim).
The plan to upgrade Bomas of Kenya has been in place since the previous administration, with the aim of transforming its 80-acre property along Langata Road into a major venue for international meetings and conferences.
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