Nyandarua Assembly questions Sh100m for ward toilets

NYANDARUA COUNTY: Ward representatives in the county are fighting a decision by the executive to spend Sh100 million on toilets.

The county assembly says it is imprudent to build 25 public toilets at Sh4 million each.

Kaimbaga Rep Kimani Njiraini said the amount allocated to each of the toilets was enough to build a four-bedroom house.

"Sh4 mIllion is enough to construct a four-bedroom house in Kitengela. How then can a toilet in Nyandarua cost as much?" posed Mr Njiraini.

OVERSIGHT ROLE

Speaker Ndegwa Wahome was equally riled and reminded the MCAs that their oversight role was being tested and that the public was closely monitoring them.

"I am the MCA Number One and cannot allow public funds to be misused under my watch. I am ready to step down if that is what it takes but I cannot bear it any more. Do these toilets come with bio-degrading amenities to warrant such huge costs? How can someone sitting in his office override the decision of this House? Honourable members, I am looking at this as a test of your oversight role; we must ensure that every officer is accountable," the Speaker said.

The members have now demanded investigations into the public works department, which escalated the price of building 25 toilets, one for each of the 25 wards.

The assembly had earlier approved a budget of Sh800,000 to build each toilet, bringing the total to Sh20 million.

Members were shocked when Samuel Kimani, the chairman of the public works committee, told them that the figures had been changed to Sh4 million per toilet under a directive from the public works department. This will escalate the cost to Sh100 million.

Mr Kimani, the Weru Ward MCA, told the members that his committee had invited officers from the public works department to explain how the budget increased and provide the committee with the Bills of Quantity (BQs) that informed the County Executive Committee member for Public Works, and the procurement and supply chain departments to arrive at that figure.

NOT AWARE

"We have written thrice to the county public works requesting the BQs in vain. The officer who appeared before the committee informed us that any document we may require is held by the Procurement and Supply Chain Department. He said he was not aware how the cost was pegged at Sh4 million per toilet," said the chairman.

Mr Kimani demanded that the tendering process of the toilet project be stopped until thorough investigations were concluded.

"Mr Speaker, we have information that the executive wants to continue with this process yet the cost is very high. We demand thorough investigations into this issue," he said.