The National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Regional Development has expressed concerns over the stalled Sh1.4 billion Kisumu International Convention Centre.
The 6,000 seater capacity facility which was commissioned in 2021 to host the Afri-cities conference held in the lakeside city has stalled due to lack of funds.
The project which was being implemented jointly between the State Department for Housing and Urban Development, State Department for Devolution and the County government of Kisumu was expected to be Kenya’s largest conference facility to help the country regain its foothold in conference tourism.
It comprises the main auditorium, 15 breakaway rooms, 60 exhibition spaces, outdoor amphitheatre, VIP lounge, cultural centre, health and fitness centre, press rooms, picnic area and a children’s park.
The committee was told the contract was signed on July 16, 2021 and was expected to be completed and handed over in 38 weeks.
However, the contract was reviewed and extended to 73 weeks ending
December 2022.
State Department for Public Works Representative Eng Peninah Mwangi told the committee that a section of the project which was being done by the State Department for Housing and Urban Development comprising the plenary and VIP lounge was ongoing.
However, works on the main auditorium, which was being undertaken by the State Department for Devolution has stalled.
The contractor who is not on site, she said was demanding Sh300 million from the State Department for Devolution to resume work.
Auxiliary works including the perimeter wall which was supposed to be done by the county government of Kisumu has also not taken off.
The Committee led by the Vice – Chair Mary Wamaua said it was unfortunate that the project whose benefits are immense had stalled after gobbling millions of tax payers’ money.
‘The project on the side of the state department for devolution has stalled and this is not economical. We cannot see value for money,’ she said.
Wamaua said the government was likely to lose more m
oney in contract variations if urgent steps are not taken to have the contractor back on site.
‘We must look for funds to pay the contractor so that he can resume works as the government looks for funds to complete the project,’ she said.
Even if the section of the building under the state department for housing is completed, she said the facility cannot function as envisaged.
The committee, she said was concerned about the status of the project adding that the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Devolution will be summoned to Parliament to give a way forward on the matter.
She challenged the county government of Kisumu to also play its part by channeling funds to complete auxiliary works at the site.
Source: Kenya News Agency