By Kwale Press Club
Kwale county public communications director Nicky Gitonga has rubished governance activist Morara Kebaso after exposing stalled projects in Kwale County.
Gitonga termed the activist’s “expose” as malicious and misleading.
In a three-point statement, Gitonga outlined the reasons why Kombani fresh produce market, Governor’s residence, and Shimba Hill fruit processing plant projects have stalled despite being initiated during the first governor’s, Salim Mvurya, regime.
He asked Morara to visit his office to get necessary information concerning the projects.
Morara visited the county and toured a couple of stalled projects calling for probe into the projects which have cost the taxpayer millions of shillings.
In his first tour, Morara posted a video of himself inspecting the Kombani fresh produce market.
The market was initiated Kwale’s first gvernor Salim Mvurya and his deputy then (current governor) Fatuma Achani.
Its construction was a partnership between Kwale County government and the European Union at a cost of Ksh 118 million.
However, upon completion and commissioning in 2021 a court battle ensued between the contractor and the Kwale County government.
Currently the market is not occupied following orders from the court restraining the county government from operating the facility.
The buildings are falling off as other valuable accessories in the market are vandalized.
Morara said there was something curious about the court cases where judgments are always postponed.
“The market was constructed but there seems to be something fishy about everything here” Morara said.
He said that there is no benefit to the community so far that can be associated with its construction.
Morara wondered why the European Union funds stalling projects.
Gitonga said that the county government cannot do anything over Kombani market due to the active court case.
“The construction of the Kombani Market was completed and was officially commissioned on 21st November 2021 and all the market stalls allocated to traders ready to operate. However the contractor brought a court order dated 17th November 2021 which blocked the Kwale county government from accessing the facility including providing security for the project leading to its vandalism” said Gitonga in his statement.
He noted that governor Fatuma Achani has no authority to intervene since the case is still active in court.
Morara did not stop at the Kombani market, he drove up to the site where governor’s official residence construction is also at stand still.
He injected the administration of Fatuma Achani for inheriting a stalled project which she has not been able to jump start.
“This is the good work that Mvurya did (of stalling the project) and made Ruto appoint him a cabinet secretary” Morara mentioned sarcastically.
He said it is disheartening to see huge projects that have already been allocated a lot of money coming to a halt while taxpayers miss other crucial services including lack of medicines in hospitals.
The project was allocated Ksh 149 million and construction commenced in 2017.
Salaries and remuneration commission then put a ceiling to governors’ residences at Ksh 45 million while the construction was already in progress.
Gitonga noted that the county government petitioned the senate and was allowed to continue the project with the initial approved amount.
“It should be noted that the county government normally does projects in phases due to lack of enough resources and does not appropriate the entire amount in one financial year for mega projects. Therefore a project can take over three financial years to finance” Gitonga responded.
The Shimba Hills fruit processing plant in Kubo South was another battle front between Gitonga and Morara.
Morara lamented that the project has taken long to complete depriving residents of the area, which produces large quantities of a variety of fruits, the opportunity to add value to their produce and create jobs.
“Now come and let us see the Ksh 600,000,000 million project which has failed to kick off for an uncountable number of years” Morara says in his video as he walks around it to inspect.
However, Gitonga could not let the activist breath as pounced on him with what he termed factual response.
The communication boss said that the project is being completed in phases and it is currently in its third phase.
“The third phase entails civil works such as construction of disposal shed, bulk store, water treatment plant as well as installation of cabro paving on the drive way” Gitonga said.
He said that the county government has only spent Ksh 206,357, 282 and not the 600,000,000 claimed by Morara.
He called on civil societies to be objective while undertaking their watchdog role over the government.
“Governor Fatuma Achani’s administration is always open to scrutiny” he noted.
