Government piles up pressure on contractors to deliver on projects

Silvance Osele (in specs) and Homa Bay County Commissioner Ronald Mwiwawi (in uniform) supervising national government projects in Kabondo Kasipul. (James Omoro, Standard)

Contractors who are undertaking national government projects worth billions of shillings in Homa Bay County have been told to avoid laxity and sub-standard jobs.

The government is constructing a 74 km Mbita – Sindo- Magunga- Sori- at Sh3 billion. The road mainly covers Suba South Constituency, which has never had a tarmacked road.

The government is also tarmacking the 33 km Kadongo- Gendia Road in Kabondo Kasipul and Karachuonyo constituencies at Sh334 million.

It is also constructing the 19 km Adiedo –Karabok road in Karachuonyo and Kasipul Constituencies.  

In Kabondo Kasipul, the government is also constructing Kadongo market and Obuya market at Misambi trading center at a cost of Sh55m each.

The government has also awarded a contractor the work of tarmacking the Kadongo – Got Rateng- Osuri- Kowuor- Ogilo – Kochola- Lida road in Kabondo Kasipul and Karachuonyo constituencies. A similar award has been done for Center Kilusi- Opanga- Ramba road in Kabondo Kasipul.

The Director of Government Delivery in Nyanza and Western Regions, Silvance Osele, and Homa Bay County Commissioner Ronald Mwiwawi said some contractors risk termination of their contracts.

Speaking at Misambi trading center when they completed supervision of the projects, Osele said they expect the constructors to do a standard job and within the stipulated time.

He said the government had solved financial challenges by availing funds for paying contractors based on their agreements.

“There is no national government project that has stalled in this country. The government has solved the problem of cash flow, and the contractors are being paid,” Osele said.

He said they are working closely with the national government administration officials to track contractors to ensure they deliver as expected.

However, those who fail to do so will have their contracts terminated.

“Whenever we discover laxity or incapacity on the side of a contractor, that contract will be terminated, and a new contractor will be engaged to continue with the work,” Osele said.

He said they expect all the projects to be complete by December next year.

Osele said the projects will enhance economic growth in the county.

“These projects are going to transform the lives of the people of this region. It is a great honour for the national government to serve the people of this region,” Osele said.

Mwiwawi stressed that they will not entertain any lazy contractor.

“Some contractors have impressed us but some of them have not,” Mwiwawi said.

He said the government also aims to create jobs for the youth using those projects.

“These projects are also aimed at creating employment opportunities for the youth. Our technical institutions have been instructed to assess the talents of the youth engaged in these projects so that some of them can be given grade three certificates to enable them to access more jobs in future,” Mwiwawi said.