The government has been forced to repossess a Ksh380 million processing plant after the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) declined to take it over.
The intrigues kicked off in 2020 after the Ministry of Agriculture terminated the contract to build the Bachuma Livestock Export Processing Zone in Taita Taveta County and passed over the facility to KDF.
KDF, however, failed to complete its construction despite the fact that it had stayed idle prior.
Speaking to the Press, Livestock and Fisheries Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Lawrence Omuhaka noted that the Ministry has now been forced to return the project to its original contractor.
He explained that Techniques Supplies Limited would retain it due to legal implications.
"The money will be made available in the next financial year. We decided to stick to the same contractor due to the legal implications involved.
"KDF did not take over the project because of unavoidable circumstances. As a department we have therefore decided to continue overseeing its implementation," stated the CAS.
The construction of the facility kicked off in 2015 and was scheduled to be completed in 2015 but has since suffered delays.
Omuhaka noted that an additional Ksh100 million would be released to aid in its construction during the 2022/2023 financial year.
The project was expected to handle the processing of 100,000 heads of cattle once complete and was part of President Uhuru Kenyatta's Big 4 Agenda.
In his tenure, Uhuru had attracted praise and backlash alike after placing some of the loss-making government ventures such as Kenya Meat Commission under the management of KDF.
Other projects that are being overseen by KDF include the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa), the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) as well as the Kenya Shipyards Ltd.
