Millions paid for Gikomba fire station, but no work done

A plan to construct a fire station at Gikomba Market, East and Central Africa’s largest secondhand goods trading hub, has yet to materialise despite an allocated budget of Sh59,983,103.

The Nairobi County Government awarded the contract in April last year, but there has been no visible progress, leaving traders vulnerable to recurring fires that have destroyed property worth millions.

In her latest financial report for 2023-2024, Auditor General Nancy Gathungu revealed that the county paid Sh30,024,578 to the contractor, yet there is no supporting technical report detailing the completed and pending work.

“The inspection and acceptance certificate number 1 dated 28 June 2024 for Sh30,024,578 was not supported with a technical report that detailed the work completed, including the remaining works, which would allow for a comparison against the contract completion period,” she said.

The audit further raises concerns over the absence of evidence confirming that any construction was completed despite the expiry of the contract period.

Gathungu noted that without such verification, it is impossible to confirm whether the allocated Sh59,983,103 was spent appropriately.

“There was also no evidence to confirm that the project was completed despite the lapse of the contract period. In the circumstances, the value for money and regularity of expenditure of Sh59,983,163 could not be confirmed,” she stated.

The Auditor General also highlighted irregularities in the tendering process. The same five-member committee that opened the tender for the project was also responsible for its evaluation, which is against procurement regulations that require an ad hoc tender evaluation committee to be established.

“The tender opening committee was comprised of five (5) members; the same members also served on the tender evaluation committee, which is against the law that requires the procuring authority to establish an ad hoc tender evaluation committee,” Gathungu said.

The fire station was meant to help address the frequent fires that have long plagued Gikomba Market.

However, some traders had opposed the project, fearing their stalls would be demolished to make way for the facility.

They had been assured that the construction would only take up a 100-by-100-square-foot space, but uncertainty remains over whether they will be displaced.

With no clear progress on the fire station and critical audit findings raising accountability concerns, traders remain at risk of future fires while questions linger about the fate of the allocated funds

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