Audit flags Sh1.3bn shoddy work, ghost projects in constituencies

Auditor General Nancy Gathungu’s review flags projects with a combined value of Sh1.3 billion, where taxpayers may not get value for money.

They include infrastructure projects worth Sh495 million that have stalled indefinitely.

A further Sh101 million worth of projects, though fully completed, stand unutilised and are deteriorating as a result of disuse.

Most strikingly, the audit puts 69 constituencies on the spotlight for burning taxpayers’ Sh696 million on projects so poorly executed that they are unsafe, already falling apart or are incomplete.

Worse still, there are cases where projects only exist in books. On the ground, verification revealed a pattern of neglect and disregard for value for money.

Buuri, Turkana Central, Tetu, Luanda, and Kilifi North constituencies have the most outstanding cases of poorly done projects, according to the audit covering the period to June 30, 2024.

Luanda emerged with the highest value of defective projects at Sh54 million, arising from poorly done work in an administration office block, four laboratories and 16 classrooms at a local school.

“Physical inspection carried out revealed that the project was not complete, with outstanding works being painting, fixing of rails, windows and electrical installation,” the report reads.

In Buuri, auditors noted “poor workmanship on the gutters installed and paint work” at Nkiria Primary School, pointing to a failure of quality control during the project’s life.

The audit paints a grim picture, contrasting the spirited campaign MPs have put to resist pressure from critics who want the National Government Constituency Development Fund folded.

The kitty has been in the spotlight, especially amid efforts by MPs to entrench it in the constitution. The High Court declared the fund unconstitutional.

While some constituencies have witnessed the construction of modern headquarters of administrative units, tiled classrooms, and emergencies catered to, the audit points otherwise in the cited cases.

Its findings present an indictment of project management and oversight by lawmakers across numerous constituencies.

In Kilifi North, the report shows, a luxury bus purchased for St Thomas Girls Secondary School at Sh13.8 million was delivered without curtains for the windows.

A spot check by auditors further revealed that the vehicle’s stereo system, television and charging systems were not installed as expected.

The December 2024 inspection revealed 12 other projects valued at Sh40 million that were deemed poorly implemented.

Gathungu has, in the report tabled in Parliament, also cited Limuru NG-CDF for “irregularities in implementation of projects.”

In Moiben, defects were noted on a project worth Sh11 million. Auditors spotted cracks on walls, leakages and broken window panes.

In Rangwe, there were instances of poor implementation of six projects valued at Sh44 million.

The audit has also red-flagged poor workmanship on projects worth Sh23.9 million in Nairobi’s Starehe constituency.

A similar case is in Tetu, where 20 projects amounting to Sh37 million were poorly implemented. Turkana Central had 20 projects of Sh48 million that were poorly done.

The examples of waste are as varied. In Vihiga, auditors established cracked walls and floors, uninstalled doors, a lack of drainage, poor paintwork, and lack of electricity switches despite the project gobbling up Sh12 million.

At Ruaraka’s Mathare North Primary School, an audit inspection carried out on November 21, 2024 revealed that painting done on the walls of six classrooms had started peeling off, an indication of poor workmanship. Sh4 million was spent on the works.

In Nyaribari Masaba, there were various notable unsatisfactory works for the projects, including incomplete works, incomplete projects and lack of walling.

In North Horr, physical verification of projects revealed anomalies in security projects and secondary school projects worth Sh18.4 million.

In Narok West, a total of Sh10 million was disbursed to various projects. “However, physical verification of the projects revealed several unsatisfactory works.”

In Msambweni, Sh4,957,806 was paid for the construction of classrooms, but they were clogged with water and parts of the inner walls were soaked with a leakage on the concrete roof. “The floor and the concrete ceiling beams had developed cracks,” the report reads.

Another Sh4 million was paid for a science laboratory at a school, but the building had no window panes despite having been put to use at the time of the review.

Similar incidents were sighted at Mwingi North, where a classroom at Malili Primary School had cracks on the floor, wall and verandah.

The auditor has also cast doubts on an expenditure of Sh1.5 million reported as having been towards the renovation of four classrooms at Tulanduli School.

“Physical verification of the project revealed that no signage had been installed and no evidence of any recently renovated classrooms,” the report reads.

In Mbeere South, Gathungu reports that Sh6 million was transferred to a primary school for a dining hall, which did not exist.

“Physical verification of the project revealed no project was completed or ongoing within the school compound.”

In Moyale, unsatisfactory works were observed in the renovation of the DCI office at a cost of Sh1 million.

There were visible cracks in several walls, the use of lower gauge iron sheets, and part of the work was not done, as spotted in an inspection.

Auditors further established that the bill of quantities was not followed, there was no ramp for use by persons with disability, and the ceiling was leaking.

For the abandoned projects, Bomachoge Borabu had classrooms worth Sh73 million that had stalled.

The report goes beyond poor workmanship to highlight outright abandonment and potential fraud.

A Sh85 million project had stalled in Matayos constituency, including an administration block at St Stephen's Lwanya. The contractor was not on site.

“The contractor had already been paid the entire contract sum of Sh38.3 million while the project was estimated to be only at 60 per cent complete.”

Another contractor abandoned a Sh46 million hall project at St Mary’s Mundika High School despite being paid the whole amount.

In Mukurwe-ini, Sh2 million was transferred to Kangurwe police post for construction of a police station but the works stalled, and the contractor was not on site.

While some were executed well and ready for use, they have since been abandoned and are wasting away.

Projects worth Sh23 million were completed in Embakasi North but had not been put to use.

A similar scenario played out in Turkana South, where lecture rooms at Aro TTC valued at Sh20 million were not in use.

In Samburu East, a dining hall and a120-bed dormitory at Tipito Girls' School were completed but not in use.

Limuru and Mbooni constituencies had ICT hubs that were completed but idle.

Other high-value NG-CDF projects not in use were cited in Kangundo (Sh5.6 million), Mwea (Sh5.2 million), Othaya (Sh3.5 million), and North Mogirango (Sh3 million).

Some lawmakers, opting to speak off the record, discredited the findings, saying the projects are handled professionally.

They said the report presents an isolated and exaggerated picture, arguing that, as patrons, they have always ensured quality.

MPs argue that logistical challenges and contractor delinquency are often to blame, but cases are nipped in the bud.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

The findings represent a double loss, that is, the initial investment is wasted and the intended socio-economic benefits are never realised. While many constituencies have witnessed transformative NG-CDF projects, the audit reveals systemic vulnerability to mismanagement, poor oversight, and a culture of impunity in others. The report suggests that the legal and institutional frameworks governing the fund are insufficient to prevent rampant wastage of public resources.