College abandons stalled projects and starts new ones

A parliamentary committee has established that the abandoned buildings require about Sh360 million for completion.

A walk through the once prestigious Kenya Industrial Training Institute (Kiti) in Nakuru reveals a picture of hopelessness. What greets visitors are stalled buildings and overgrown grass and shrubs. It is difficult to believe that there are students and lecturers until you see them.

Construction of some the buildings began two decades ago, before work was abandoned due to lack of funds, according to Kiti managers.

While some buildings require only a fresh coat of paint, others, including halls, lack iron sheets needed for roofing.

Kiti is the only Government department under the Ministry of Industrialisation and Enterprise Development offering training.

During a tour of the institution last week, members of the National Assembly Committee on Trade, Industry and Co-operatives established that Kiti required Sh360 million to complete stalled projects and another Sh100 million for new ones.

“This institution is a sleeping giant. Despite the fact that its projects have stalled due to lack of funds, it has many resources. But it needs the money to complete the projects,” said committee vice chairman Cornelly Serem.

Construction of one of the buildings started in 1994. However, it never went past the foundation, which is now covered by overgrown grass. The only evidence that there is a building under construction are the pillars.

Next to it is another building currently under construction.

Mr Serem was unhappy that the institution has started new buildings while several others had been abandoned.

“This calls for a follow-up of what happened because we need accountability on how public funds are used. We will continue visiting Government institutions to ensure that public funds are well used.”

“It is a shame that new projects have been initiated while many others have stalled. This is a waste of taxpayers’ money,” he added. “For a project to stall for such a long time is worrying. This trend must stop. Directors of Government institutions should stop applying for money to fund new projects when there are uncompleted ones.”

The committee advised the institution against starting new constructions before completing stalled ones.

Kiti Director Peris Adema said lack of funding and marketing had compounded their problems.

“Our biggest challenges is under-funding by the Government. With full funding, our institution can double its admission to 1,000 students,” Ms Adema said yesterday.

Funyula MP Ojiambo Oudo called on the national government to invest in technical institutions to boost industrial development.

“The Government has a mandate to fund and monitor these technical institutions because we need technical skills, which are critical to development,” Mr Oudo said.

Although the country has more than 845 accredited technical and vocational institutions, a recent report by the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum shows courses offered are not aligned with the country’s development needs.