Auditor General Nancy Gathungu has raised concerns over unsupported expenditure and delays in completion of various road projects in the country despite gobbling up billions of shillings.

 In the latest report for the financial year ending June 2024, Gathungu raised concerns over the slow pace of completion of three major highways including the Mombasa Mariakani Highway project, Kibwezi Mutomo-Kitui Migwani project and Kenol- Sagana Marua Highway project.

 The report also flagged a number of issues relating to extended consultancy services, penalties on delayed payments, questionable acquisition of land, as well as incomplete works

Kenol-Sagana project

 On the Kenol-Sagana- Marua Highway Improvement Project that was supposed to be undertaken in two lots, the report notes that an audit inspection conducted in September on Lot 1 which involved the dualling of Kenol Sagana (A2) road totaling to 48km with a completion date of October 6, 2023 at a cost of Sh8.5 billion, shows that the contractor is working under defect liability period which is ending on March 6 2025 and thus is impossible to confirm the defect liability period for the pending work.  It also raises concerns that 27 kiloneters out of the 36 kilometers access roads had not been completed.

It also shows that out of the five bridges proposed, four are at 70 percent completion while construction works for one of the birdges was yet to commence due to the failure on the part of the National Lands Commission (NLC) to acquire land.

More, the number of boda boda shades could not be confirmed since KENHA had not approved the request from the contractor.

 The report also raises concerns over penalties accrued for late payment of interim certificate amounting to Sh24.9 million that was charged on July 27, 2023 and increase in cost due to delays in completion amounting to Sh98.7 million.

Land acquisition

 It also raised questions relating to land acquisition in Karatina, Nyeri county worth Sh1.2 billion that was supposed to be paid to business owners whose buildings were to be demolished.

 Reads the report: “The balance of Sh2,461,673,627 on land acquisition at Karatina town through compensation to business owners whose buildings are to be demolished, however the original approved map in respect to the dual carriage was not provided for audit review. In the circumstances, the authenticity of Sh1,188,670,182 payables on proposed land acquisition in Karatina town could not be confirmed.”

 On lot two that involved dualling of the 36 kilometre Sagana-Marua road with a completion date of July 10, 2025 at a cost of Sh9.1 billion, the report says that pending works include surface dressing where 17.28 kilometres out of 72 kilometers had not been completed, road markings had not been done on 39.1 kilometers, while bloc culverts had not been installed.

 On the Kibwezi-Mutomo-Kitui Migwani road, the report raises concerns over non-compliance with Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act 2015 as the entity varied the initial contract that had been given by Sh3.1 billion that saw the cost go up from the initial, Sh8.4 billion to Sh21.5 billion.

 Reads the report: “The management has not explained why it carried out an upward variation of the contract for the upgrade of Kibwezi-Mutomo-Kitui-Migwani section by an amount of Kshs. 3, 141, 024, 204 top Mbondoni without express authority of the National Treasury contrary to section 53(8) and (9) of the Public Procurement and Disposal act, 2015. In the circumstances, management is in breach of the law.”

 The report also raises concerns over avoidable interests on delayed payments amounting to Sh543,630,272 as well as incomplete works as inspection done on a section of the road on September 24, revealed that the road works were terminated at 8 kilometres to Migwani town, the section was not worked by the contractor and remained rough and that the contractor was not on site and the project had stalled.

Reads the report: “In the circumstances, value for money from the project could not be confirmed.”

 On the Mombasa-Mariakani Highway project, the report raises concerns over unsupported cash and cash equivalents amounting to Sh21.3 million, unsupported deposits and retention monies amounting to Sh4.7 million, as well as irregular transfer of nine project motor vehicles to the project contractor whose value was not disclosed.