The stalled construction of a swimming pool valued at over Ksh78 million was among the projects flagged by Members of Parliament during an inspection at Kabianga and Masinde Muliro Universities.
MPs drawn from the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education unearthed the details of the project, revealing that management at Masinde Muliro University had made alterations to the initial agreement and the Bill of Quantities (BQ), converting the pool from 'Olympic size' to 'Olympic standard'.
During the tour on Monday, September 1, led by Bumula MP Wanami Wamboka, the legislators disclosed that the project, valued at Ksh78,200,692 for a contract period of fifty-two (52) weeks commencing July 29, 2021, and scheduled for completion on June 30, 2022, had been terminated.
According to the contractor, the changes made by the university made it difficult to deliver the project with the finances availed.
Work on the project was at about 65 per cent completion, with both the contractor and the university agreeing to terminate the contract.
The lawmakers challenged the university’s management to explain the logic behind the alterations to the project details and whether students were consulted in the decision to change the pool’s size.
According to audit reports, the contract lapsed before the work was complete, with the MPs questioning why the university illegally renewed the contract.
“Public funds were used in a project without a legal contract. We would like to review the documents and determine who made the erratic decision,” stated Wamboka.
"Olympic size" is a general term for a 50-meter-long and 25-meter-wide pool. "Olympic standard," on the other hand, is the official designation by World Aquatics (formerly FINA) for a pool that meets not only the size requirements but also a comprehensive set of strict technical specifications for elite competition, including depth, lane numbers, and technology.
The university also faced scrutiny over the stalled installation of ten biometric gadgets by the ICT department, despite the gadgets having been fully paid for.
At Kabianga, a stalled library valued at over Ksh800 million, which began in 2017 and was earmarked for completion in 2020, remained incomplete more than seven years after construction began.
During the tour, the legislators revealed that construction of the building, whose contract was valued at Ksh834,523,967, had commenced on June 8, 2017, with an expected completion date of June 4, 2020.
However, the project stalled, with its completion extended three times. MPs further noted that it was only 72 per cent complete, disclosing that the institution blamed the delays on minimal and delayed government funding.
Even so, legislators challenged the university’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Erick Koech, to explore options for self-sustainability by generating internal income.
“Going by the trend of the last six or so years, government funding to the university has been minimal, so explaining it as the reason for failure to deliver services is unrealistic,” stated Hon. Wamboka. “What practical activities are you undertaking to supplement your income?”
The trip, conducted as a follow-up to audit issues raised in the Auditor General’s reports, also involved discussions with Kabianga University management on the illegal use of imprest worth over Ksh3 million to fuel vehicles despite an existing contract with a fuel provider.
It emerged that this was done despite the procurement department advising against it, prompting lawmakers to demand clarity on the situation.
“The independence of HR, procurement, and other departments in these institutions is largely attached to the leadership and is thus compromised; they should be allowed to operate without interference,” said Chiforomodo Mangale, a member of the Committee.
