Nyandarua, Kenya; Members of the Nyandarua County assembly have questioned the move by the executive to hike the Sh20 million budget meant for public toilets to Sh100 million.
The members have now demanded investigations in the public works department which escalated the prices to build 25 toilets, one for each of the 25 wards.
The Assembly had earlier on approved a budget to construct each of the toilets at a cost of Sh800,000 bringing the total to Sh 20 million.
Members were however shocked when the Chairman of the Road Transport and Public Works Committee Samuel Kimani told them that the figures had however changed to Sh4m per toilet under the directive from the public works department. This will escalate the cost to Sh 100 million.
Kimani, the Weru Ward MCA, informed the members that his committee had on Thursday invited officers in the public works department to explain how the budget escalated and provide the committee with the BQs (Bill of Quantity) that informed the C.E.C Member for Roads, Transport and Public Works, and the procurement and supply chain departments to arrive at the exaggerated budget.
"We have written thrice to the County public works requesting for the BQs in vain, the officer who appeared before the committee informed us that any document we may require is held by the Procurement and Supply Chain department. He said he is not aware how the cost was pegged at Sh4m per toilet," said the Chairman.
Kimani demanded that the tendering process of the multimillion project be stopped until thorough investigations were made into the matter.
"Mr Speaker, we have information that the executive wants to continue with this process and yet the money is very high. We demand thorough investigations into this issue," he said.
The speaker Ndegwa Wahome reminded the MCAs that their role of oversight is undergoing a test and that the public is closely monitoring them and that they will bear the burden.
"I am the MCA number one and I cannot sit here and see public funds being misused under my watch, I am ready to step down if that is what it takes but I cannot bear it any more. Do these toilets come with bio grading amenities to warrant such huge cost? How can someone sitting in his office override the decision of this house? Honorable members I am looking at this as a test to your oversight role we must ensure that every officer is accountable," The Speaker said in his ruling.
Kaibaga Ward MCA Kimani Njiraini said the amount allocated to each of the toilets was enough to construct a four-bedroomed house.
"Sh4m honorable members is enough to construct a four-bedroomed house in Kitengela. How then can a toilet in Nyandarua cost as much?" posed Njiraini.
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