This archive report was first published on 28 September 2019.
On September 27, 2019, Rift Valley regional coordinator George Natembeya led a team of Regional Development Implementation team to supervise projects in Trans Nzoia County.
During the visit, the team found that a three-storey building project at the Kitale National polytechnic was at 26% completion, despite being expected to be finished by September 30, 2019.
The project, worth KES 39 million, was meant to provide students with a better learning environment, but the contractor, Herbert Musuya of Bumula Engineering Works, and the county architect, Benson Tim Tim, failed to explain the delay.
When questioned, Musuya cited his wife's illness as the reason for the delay, but the regional coordinator was not convinced, especially when Tim Tim and another official, Fredrick Njoroge, gave conflicting information about the project's completion rate.
Natembeya ordered the arrest of Musuya, Tim Tim, and Njoroge, warning that public officers who obstruct government projects will be arrested and charged accordingly.
He also directed the Polytechnic Council to meet next week and re-award the contract to a new contractor, citing Bumula Engineering Works' inability to complete the project.
