Building One Stall On Ngong road And Karen Cost Over 900K In New NYS Scandal
Once again, taxpayers’ hard-earned monies have been used to put up ghost projects. This time around, we are looking at a Ksh533 million loss at least according to the Auditor General Edward Ouko.
Two years later, after voting in the Jubilee Government, Ngong road sideways leading to Karen and the Karen market remain shells after a galore of promises to set up work stations for the Kenyan youth remain just that, promises. From MCAs, women Rep, Mp, Governor and shamefully the reigning President, labour from the multiple slams in the environs would finally put a meal on the table for thousands of families whether directly or indirectly.
Leaving youth and business persons with high hopes, those roads are now filled with sirens as the big dogs make their way to ‘work’ and of course to their favourite joints in the evening. For the longest time, the furniture business has flourished on Ngong road employing jobless and semi-skilled citizens over the years. Today, what was meant to be a business hub and an employer for many is only on paper following theft in millions.
After awarding contracts to the who is who, the government has come back to say that pieces of land meant to house the furniture markets have been challenged legally. According to the auditor general, materials to build the markets were ordered in excess; Karen market was quoted at Sh53.5 million and the Ngong road one at Ksh143 million all coming to a total of Sh196.5 million. The balance Sh336.5 million is unaccounted for.
‘’As a result, it is not possible to confirm that public funds were applied lawfully and in an effective way as required under Article 229(6) of the Constitution of Kenya and that Article 232(1)(b) of the Constitution of Kenya was applied as required under the law,” says Ouko
Whether or not construction materials lying at the NYS headquarters in Ruaraka are worth Ksh507 million as the Auditor claims, no one can confirm that. Based on the figure Ksh533.5 million ‘used’ to construct 602 ghost stalls, each stall cost about Ksh906,132 and this is excluding labour and supervision costs compared to the initial and an all-inclusive quote of Sh264,678 and Sh395,887 for Karen and Ngong road stalls
