Nairobi tops list of counties with stalled projects at Sh1.36 billion

A report by the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu has revealed that Nairobi County headed by Governor Johnson Sakaja leads in county projects that have stalled or abandoned after hundreds of millions of shillings sunk into their construction.

According to Gathungu, Nairobi's delayed projects total Sh1.36 billion and primarily include the construction of hospitals.

“Review of construction projects undertaken by the County Executive of Nairobi City revealed projects costing Sh1.36 billion in respect of construction of various hospitals had stalled,” reads the report.

She notes that one contractor was responsible for three health facilities, costing Sh869 million, which remain incomplete. These projects include the Pumwani Lucky Summer Dispensary, Pumwani Majengo Health Centre, and Gumba/Mabatini Dispensary.

“Physical inspection of these projects carried out on September 28 and 29, 2023 revealed they were not complete and labelled, the perimeter wall was not done for Pumwani Majengo Health Centre, and the Lucky Summer Dispensary had barely started and the building is dilapidated,” Gathungu says in her report.

She adds that despite the contractor abandoning the above projects, the same contractor was still awarded another project, Sh344,100,000, for construction works at the Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital phase II. The project has also stalled after the contractor was paid Sh165,099,105.

The audit also discovered that Kiambu County ranks second with the most stalled projects totalling Sh1.23 billion. Among them are the construction of a four-storey hospital block at Bibirioni Level 4 Hospital for Sh285.99 million, a three-storey medical ward block at Tigoni Sub-County Hospital for Sh160.74 million, and Lari Sub-County Hospital for Sh191.8 million.

A four-story Type II medical ward at Wangige Health Centre costs Sh220.28 million, while Ruiru Level 4 Hospital Central Commodity Stores costs Sh41.97 million.

“The audit revealed that the contractor had not been on site since March 2023 and no reason was given as to why he had abandoned the Wangige Health Centre site,” according to the  report.

In Baringo County, projects worth Sh517.47 million have also been affected. Among them is the construction of a 20-bed capacity dispensary at a cost of Sh5 million at Ngubereti.

Despite it being completed and handed over on March 28, 2023, the dispensary is yet to be equipped and put to use for lack of water, electricity and personnel.

Other counties also highlighted in the report with stalled projects worth millions of shillings include, Nakuru, Turkana, West Pokot, Tana River, Kitui, Nyamira, and Trans Nzoia.

Gathungu’s report highlights that at least Sh12 billion worth of projects across about 10 counties have stalled, fallen behind schedule, or been left idle, depriving residents of the intended benefits.