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County governments are now staring at potential lawsuits by contractors after a parliamentary committee set a ceiling for county key infrastructure projects.

The Senate’s Country Public Accounts and Investment Committee (CPAIC) wants counties that had awarded contracts above the recommended cap to consider renegotiating to adjust the contract sum.

In a report tabled in the Senate, CPAIC has pegged residence for county governors at Sh45 million, deputy governors Sh35 million, county assembly speaker Sh35 million and the size of the land should not exceed two acres. 

Further, it states that the construction of the executive offices should not exceed Sh500 million while the cost of construction of county assembly chambers for a house that has up to a maximum of 30 MCAs should not go beyond Sh200 million, 31 to 50 members Sh250 million, and 61 to 90 members Sh400 million.

Projects commenced

“The committee recommends that the counties which had awarded contracts that were above the recommendations should consider renegotiating with a view to adjusting the contract sum,” the report tabled by committee vice-chairman Mithika Lithuri, who is also the Meru senator.

Some of the counties likely to be affected by the senate recommendations include Nyandarua, Nyamira, Isiolo, Tana River, Samburu, Mandela, Kilifi and Meru.

In the report, the committee noted that they had already started infrastructure development projects by the time the Senate resolved to provide ceilings for the county infrastructure projects. 

“Further, the construction in some of the counties was at various stages. Some were 40 per cent complete and the contractual obligations entered were beyond the amounts provided for in the ceilings,” they said.

Linturi requested the Committee on Finance and Budget to re-look into the matter.