Government cancels tender for construction of Nyandarua county headquaters

The national government has terminated a contract for the building of the county headquarters in Ol Kalou.

State Department of Public Works Principal Secretary Paul Mwangi Maringa said the cancellation was prompted by the contractor's failure to meet deadlines.

The construction was started three years ago.

He also accused the contractor of doing shoddy work.

Prof Maringa, who met Governor Francis Kimemia in his office yesterday, said his department has issued a default notice to the contractor and was in the final process of re-tendering for the work.

“We cannot have contractors building white elephants and that is why the Government has intervened. We will re-tender the works so that Nyandarua can have a new county headquarters.”

Mr Kimemia had complained that nothing much had been done three years after the construction was launched.

“We want a contractor who will deliver, and we have raised our complaints with all relevant Government agencies over project delays. This is not just with the county headquarters’ building, but almost all national government projects in the county, including Ol Kalou town roads,” Kimemia said.

The PS was accompanied by Linus Kibisu, the deputy chief architect in the department. Also present was Deputy Governor Cecilia Mbuthia, County Executive Committee members Muthoni Wamuiya (Trade) and James Karitu (Agriculture).

Maringa promised to fast-track the tendering process so that Nyandarua gets new county offices by June next year.

“We will oversee the construction of the new headquarters as one of the Government projects in this region.

"We want residents to get proper services from the county government with officers not struggling to get offices,” said the PS.

Later, Governor Kimemia was inaugurated as the patron for the county's Kenya Red Cross Society branch.