Stalled county headquarters: Senators demand action for five regions

Senators are demanding swift action on the construction of five county headquarters that have been stalled for six years, leaving residents in Lamu, Tana River, Isiolo, Nyandarua, and Tharaka Nithi grappling with inadequate services.

Initiated in 2017 to replace the outdated offices inherited from the defunct local government system, these projects remain incomplete, ranging from 44 per cent completion in Lamu to 82 per cent in Tharaka Nithi. This sluggish progress has significantly hampered residents' access to crucial administrative services.

Ali Roba, Chairman of the Senate Finance and Budget Committee, pinpointed the blame on insufficient funding and construction challenges, including disjointed fund disbursement and contractor disputes. The funding model itself appears complex, with the national government contributing 70 per cent through the State Department of Public Works and counties expected to cover the remaining 30 per cent.

However, conditional grants provided by the national government since 2017 haven't fully bridged the funding gap, as evidenced by budget records showing the Tharaka Nithi headquarters alone costing Sh217 million by June 2022.

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Recognizing the urgency, a recent committee meeting convened representatives from the State Department of Public Works, the Council of Governors, area Senators, and the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee to collectively address the delays. The onus is now on Governors and Senators from the five affected counties to provide clear explanations and work towards expedited completion of these critical infrastructure projects.