•Trans Nzoia governor Natembeya and Uasin Gishu boss Bii are among new chiefs who have already pledged to first complete stalled projects.
In Uasin Gishu more than five major incompletete incomplete were handed over by Mandago to his successor Jonathan Bii.
Image: BY MATHEWS NDANYI
Stalled projects top the list of priorities for new governors in the North Rift who need billions of shilling to complete projects started by their predecessors.
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya and his Uasin Gishu counterpart Jonathan Bii are among the new county chiefs who have pledged to complete the stalled projects instead of starting similar new ones.
Natembeya will require more than Sh2 billion to complete the Trans Nzoia Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kitale, which was initiated by former Governor Patrick Khaemba.
Khaemba failed to complete the project in eight years due to financial problems and pending corruption cases at the EACC concerning procurement for the project.
“Such a project is meant to benefit the people of Trans Nzoia and I believe there is no need to start a new one yet public funds have already been used on the project,” Natembeya said.
He will also require resources to complete several water projects and markets that were left incomplete by the previous regime.
In Uasin Gishu, more than five major projects that are incomplete were handed over by Governor Jackson Mandago to his successor Bii.
The incomplete projects include the Ziwa and Burnt Forest Level 5 Hospitals which will cost more than Sh2 billion to complete.
The Ziwa Hospital costing more than Sh800 million was more than than halfway completed by Mandago’s team but was dogged by controversies over the construction contract.
Also incomplete is refurbishment of the 64 Stadium in Eldoret which is to cost more than Sh1 billion. It had been initiated by Mandago as one of his legacy projects.
Three other subcounty hospitals are also listed as incomplete in Uasin Gishu.
In Nandi, Governor Stephen Sang was elected for his second term and prioritised completing several projects including those initiated by the first governor, Dr Cleophas Lagat.
Such projects include the Sh1 billion Nandi county headquarters that stalled more than eight years ago.
The Kapsabet mother and baby hospital started by Sang will also be completed under his regime. It’s not a stalled project but he has been implementing it in phases.
Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich has asked MCAs to allocate funding for mega projects to help create jobs for residents and transform lives.
Rotich and the county assembly are discussing the possibility of reviewing the current funding model in the region where no money is set aside for mega projects.
The area county assembly Speaker Kiplagat Sabulei has also indicated the legislative arm of the government is willing to change the financing model to allocate the executive additional funding for major projects.
The current model is the the Equitable Development Act (EDA) 2015 passed by the first assembly, stipulating 60 per cent of the development budget is distributed equitably to all 20 wards. But 40 per cent remains at the county for county projects.
“The impact of devolution has already been felt in every part of our county in the past 10 years but it’s time we review our plans to accelerate development, Sabulei said.
He said most locations countrywide have realised social development, such as ECD classrooms, dispensaries and water projects, among others.
“It is now our responsibility as MCAs and the governor to have a discussion on how to change the modelling of our financing so the governor can implement some flagship projects he has planned,” Sabulei said.
(Edited by V. Graham)