New Dandora stadium set to take longer

Chairman Dandora Stadium Godfrey Okoti accompanied by other stadium officials showing exposed building material rotting in the sun, rain and dust on October 27, 2021. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

The Sh350 million Dandora Stadium will be delayed by at least two months, the City Hall has announced.

Yesterday, acting Governor Anne Kananu said works would resume after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) concludes investigation into the project.

Speaking after signing into law Sexual Gender-Based Violence Bill, Ms Kananu said the county government would complete the facility and other projects to benefit youth. “I want to assure the public that the county government is doing everything in its power, including working closely with investigative agencies, to conclude the probe for the works to be completed,” she said.

M/s Scanjet Construction Company was awarded the Sh350 million contract in the 2017/2018 financial year to construct Dandora Stadium in 18 months. The construction was, however, halted after EACC launched investigations into irregular payment of Sh196 million by City Hall to the contractor. The project was 80 per cent complete when the contractor vacated the site in September 2019.

At the time, more than 3,000 seats had been installed in the terraces with changing rooms and floodlights fitted.

EACC launched the probe after regulatory authorities accused the contractor of deviating from the contract terms and using steel instead of concrete as building material.

Investigation by Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) also cited irregularities in the award of the tender, alteration of contract specifications, suspected irregular payments and forgery of documents. It also questioned quality of the works.

This was after PPRA, on June 13, 2019, received a complaint that Scanjet Construction used steel structures in contravention of the contract specifications. There were allegations that contract documents, including Cabinet memorandum, were forged to state the stadium should be steel structure when the work is 70 per cent complete.

PPRA commenced investigations, which unearthed payments by City Hall to the contractor amounting to Sh196.87 million despite the technical evaluators questioning the quality of work. The authority recommended remedial action against any party culpable.

Dandora Stadium was one of the four to be constructed by City Hall to provide for more sports and recreational facilities. The new stadia were to be built to Fifa standards in Dandora, Jacaranda, Kariokor and Kihumbini.

In February, President Uhuru Kenyatta directed resumption of works at the Dandora Stadium, but it did not happen. And in July, buoyed by the installation of more than 3,000 seats in the terraces, with changing rooms and floodlights fitted, Dandora residents vowed to start using the stadium, citing delays.