Investigations, Covid-19 to blame for stalled stadium works - officials

Officials have come out to clear the air on the alleged misappropriation of funds meant for the completion of the Isiolo stadium, following public outcry.  

CEC in charge of Education, Youth, Sports Aileen Kajuju said no money for the project, which was started by the previous administration in May 2019, was lost.

Addressing journalists at the construction site on Tuesday, Kajuju said the bulk of the work was well completed at the stands and main pavilion.

“What members of the public should know is that Governor Abdi Guyo’s administration has not paid a single penny to the contractor and that all the payments were done by the previous administration when Mohamed Kuti was governor,” she said.

“Even then, there was value for money in regards to the project,” she added.

The CEC said only the playing turf and painting work remained pending. 

Kajuju clarified that the project stalled due to ongoing investigations by the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission.

The remaining funds will be channelled towards preparation of the playing turf and finishing touches like painting, once a report from the EACC is out. 

The Covid-19 pandemic also hampered the construction progress in 2020.

Heavy rains also played a part in slowing down construction work.

The government also dismissed reports that had spent a whooping Sh 900 million on the project. 

Diba Abduba, the accounting officer for the department, termed the allegations by bloggers and a local radio station as a fallacy. 

The total for the Isiolo Stadium project is Sh345,998,000.

Of the amount, Sh231,622,838, which accounts for 66.9 per cent of the total, has been paid to the contractor, he said. 

Abduba asked interested parties to seek correct facts from the relevant offices before sharing sensitive information with members of the public.

The officer said a sum of Sh130 million was allocated and paid by the previous administration in the financial year 2018-2019, when the project begun. 

During the next financial year 2019 – 2020, another Sh58 million was allocated, but the county paid Sh16 million for the work done.

“A sum of Sh62 million was allocated to the project for the financial year 2020-2021, but only Sh36 million was paid for the work done, while Sh75 million was allocated in the financial year 2021 – 2022, but only Sh47 million was paid,” he said.

The disparities between the amount allocated and amount paid was because an evaluation was conducted for the work done during each financial year. 

The devolved unit only paid for work done. 

When the current governor assumed office, Sh18 million was earmarked for the project but was never paid, following the public outcry.

This forced the new administration to go slow, Abduba explained.

The EACC was then invited to carry out investigations. 

Experts from the state department of public works were also invited through the Office of the Governor to do an evaluation of the work done.

Their report recorded the project was 67 per cent complete.