Infrastructure Brief

News and opinion on public works procurement

Kenya

  • Energy|
  • Kenya News

    • Kenya’s Ministry of Interior scrutinized for improper tender processes

    by

    By Kenneth Mwangi

    Kenya’s Ministry of Interior is under scrutiny for awarding tenders without appropriately following due process during the 2017/2018 financial year.

    An audit report revealed discrepancies in the purchase of three helicopters in a Sh4.9 billion contract awarded to a foreign firm.  

    HELICOPTERS

    The helicopters for the Police Airwing were initially tendered at Sh4 billion (Euros 31,941,200), but the figure was later reviewed upwards to Sh4.9 billion (Euros 31,123,357).

    Appearing before National Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday, Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho said that the variation was as a result of errors during the tendering process.

    Mr Kibicho said the over Sh900 million additional spending was due to extra specifications that were not initially provided. He said that the features were important for the safety of the aircraft.

    “Even though the initial figure went up, taxpayers got value for money after additional features were added to the helicopter,” said Dr Kibicho.

    BID DOCUMENTS

    Apart from the amount variation, former Auditor-General Edward Ouko, in his report, stated that only one bidder was invited and issued with bid documents on March 29, 2017.

    The bidder was asked to purchase three new helicopters namely; AW139 LE, AW139 VIP, and AW119 KX.

    “No evidence was provided to show that technical input in the preparation of the tender documents. As a result, additional essential standard avionics helicopter parts required to be issued to form the basis of tender preparation and subsequent negotiations were not included in the original tender documents contrary to Section 104 (a) of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015,” Mr Ouko noted.

    Further details revealed that only two helicopters of registration number 5Y-DIG and 5Y-PEU were certified by the manufacturer and insured as per the Civil Aviation Insurance Regulations.

    TWO VOUCHERS

    Mr Ouko was able to get two vouchers that were on June 30, 2018, paid to another firm for the supply of three new turbine engines for helicopters.

    One of the vouchers of number 196- Sh76 million was additionally paid to the firm for the difference in exchange rates.

    In yet another tender exposed by Mr Ouko, the National Police Service procured under classified general purpose machine guns and AK-47 rifles from a foreign firm for Sh27 million.

    However, it emerged that the company awarded the tender did not provide a certificate of incorporation and a weaponry manufacture registration/ authorisation.

    Mr Ouko also revealed that the firm did not issue responsive to the rate of fire, maximum effective range and provision of accessories during the technical evaluation stage.

    DISQUALIFICATION

    “Failure to meet all the requirements by the bidder should have led to automatic disqualification. However, the tender was awarded to the bidder contrary to Section 80 (1) and (2) of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015,” noted Mr Ouko.

    He added that a local firm was awarded the tender for grilled masonry perimeter fencing including erecting canopies at the Kenya Police headquarters and Vigilance House Annex in Nairobi.

    The firm issued an expired certificate from the National Construction Authority (NCA) which was contrary to section 3.3 of the tender documents that asked bidders to have a valid registration with NCA.

    Besides, the firm never provided audited financial reports for the years 2015 and 2016 but only issued an audited report for the financial year 2012.

    ANNUAL LICENCE FEE

    The report also revealed that out of the 280 petrol stations that were required to pay fuel storage tanks annual licence fee of Sh4,000 per station, only 76 of them did so in the financial year 2017/2018.

    This led to a loss of Sh816,000. The audit on petrol stations also put the Nairobi County Commissioner on the spot as it revealed that a total of 25 operational petrol stations were not registered and hence denied the government Sh100,000 in revenue.

    The Interior Ministry explained that provisions of Section 14(5) of the Petroleum Act, 1947 was the basis for collecting the revenue until May 16, 2017- when the department realised that there was no legislation governing the revenue collection.

    This was faulted by Mr Ouko who said that the department continued collecting annual licence fees from the petrol stations even after May 16, 2017.

    SH674 MILLION

    A total of Sh674 million was collected in respect of Sh674 million during the financial year which ended on June 30, 2018.

    However, an audit revealed that the DCI department collected that Sh713 million from the collection of Certificates of Good Conduct which led to the unreconciled difference of Sh39 million.

    A further review of documents issued by the DCI revealed that out of the revenue amounting to Sh69 million that was collected by Postal Corporation of Kenya at Huduma centers- only Sh25 million was remitted to Central Bank of Kenya. This means that a total of Sh44 million was not banked.

    The Interior Department explained that the Sh69 million that was collected at the Huduma centres on behalf of DCI comprised Sh51 million and Sh18 million that was remitted to Central Bank of Kenya during the 2017/2018 and 2016/2017 financial years.

    E-CITIZEN SERVICES

    However, it never handed any document to back up the explanation as required by law.

    For the E-Citizen Services, a comparison of the revenue amounts in the revenue statements with E-citizen collections/remittances during the 2017/2018 financial year revealed unreconciled differences amounting to Sh.3 billion. It also brought to the limelight the challenges that Internally Displaced Persons in Turkana went through.

    Sh14 million was paid and was made for the construction of IDP houses in the financial year that ended June 30, 2018- but the department never issued any supporting documents showing on how the money was used.

    GRANTS

    In the 2017/2018 financial year, there were grants to Internally Displaced Persons under the cash payments program amounting to Sh2 billion.

    A close audit revealed that Sh4.6 million was paid to IDPs who did not have national Identity Cards- which made it hard to determine that those who received the pay were Kenyans.

    It also emerged that Sh17 million was paid to IDPs with duplicate names and ID card numbers.

    Mr Ouko further did an audit with the National Registration Bureau database which revealed that for every duplicate name- only one name matched with the ID card number that was provided while the rest of the ID numbers did not.

    It also emerged that a total of Sh250,000 that was made to IDP’s whose ID numbers never matched the database that was retrieved from the National Registration Bureau.

    Mr Ouko also revealed that the management of the National Humanitarian Fund failed to provide documents and records for audit review of IDPs as required under section 13(g) of the prevention, Protection, and Assistance to IDPs and affected communities Act.

  • Health & Education|
  • Kenya News

    • Kenya’s national census shows disparity between capital and the rest of the country

    by

    By Kenneth Mwangi

    Kenya’s national census shows that Kenya’s richest households are concentrated in Nairobi and its surrounding suburbs.

    A majority of Kenya’s affluent class can be found in Lang’ata and Westlands in Nairobi, with a good number owning homes with internet access and other social amenities.

    Residents of these suburbs are also highly educated, most with university degrees.  

    The rest of the wealthy are concentrated in Kiambu, Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, Kajiado and Laikipia counties.

    Although a sizable population in these areas live in rented houses, they lead in the number of households in urban centres that own homes.  

    Owning a house in such places is costly, with the price of the home driven up by prohibitive land prices. Very few people, other than the rich can afford to build or buy a house in these areas. 

    The data is contained in the fourth volume of the Kenya Population and Housing Census that tackles distribution of population by socio-economic characteristics.

    The census also looked at Kenyan’s housing conditions and the facilities in their homes including toilets, TV sets and refrigerators.

    Lang’ata tops with car owners with 35.9 per cent of its 60,187 surveyed households owning cars. In Westlands, 32.8 per cent of 103,489 of households surveyed own cars.

    Lang’ata hosts some of the most popular estates in Nairobi, including Karen and South C.

    With eight administrative units, Westlands hosts some of the country’s most upmarket  suburbs such as Kitisuru, Lavington, Kilimani, Parklands and Highridge.

    Poverty amidst wealth

    In contrast, some of the poorest also live in Westlands in areas such as Kangemi.

    According to the report, 83.5 per cent of some 104,980 households in Westlands live in rented houses. 79.5 per cent of families in Lang’ata live in rented houses.

    In Lang’ata, only 20 per cent of the households surveyed own homes. Home owners make 16.5 per cent of the households surveyed in Westlands.

    Lang’ata and Westlands also have high levels of internet access at 65.9 per cent and 63.7 per cent respectively.

    In Kiambu, the report identifies Kiambaa, Kikuyu and Ruiru as some of the richest areas.

    These areas are aptly dubbed Nairobi’s “dormitories” due to their proximity to the capital and host a huge chunk of its workers.

    In Kiambaa, which hosts the emerging satellite town of Ruaka, 21 per cent of the population own cars. Kikuyu and Ruiru follow at 17.3 and 14 per cent.

    Still in Kiambu, Ruiru which emerged fourth after Nairobi, Mombasa, and Nakuru and in the census with a population of 490,120, has the highest number of people living in rented houses at 84 per cent. Home ownership in Ruiru stands at 30.8 per cent.

    Ruiru has spectacularly risen since the construction of the Nairobi-Eastern Bypass which saw a huge influx of land buyers.

    Ruiru also has the highest number of university graduates in Kiambu at 35,737.

    According to the report, 69.1 per cent of people in Kiambaa live in rental houses with home ownership standing at 16.5 per cent.

    In the Rift Valley region, Nakuru and Uasin Gishu counties lead in the number of people owning cars.

    Nakuru East constituency has 14.6 per cent of its population owning cars with 83.1 per cent of households living in rented houses.

    In Uasin Gishu, Ainabkoi and Kapsaret areas lead in car ownership at 11.5 and 10.7 per cent respectively.

    Some 46.5 percent of households in Ainbkoi and 68.6 per cent in Kapsaret live in their own houses.

    Car ownership

    Starehe sub-county in Nairobi also has a significant number of car owners. Out of its 66,108 households 16.9 per cent own cars. 94 per cent of residents rent houses in Starehe where home ownership stands at 5.9 per cent.

    As at August 2019, Kenya had 1,511,943 graduates. According to the census, Nairobi has 386,594 residents with graduate and post-graduate qualifications. Out of these, 214,171 are male and 172,402 females.

    Westlands leads in Nairobi in terms graduates. Out of 271,304, Westlands has 61,560 graduates which represents 22.6 per cent of the population. It is followed by Lang’ata which has 41,887 graduates which translates to about 25 per cent of the constituency’s population.

    When it comes to standards of housing, Lang’ata and Westlands also top the list. They have the highest number of houses with tiled roofs in the country at 21.1 and 14 per cent respectively.

  • Kenya News|
  • Public Spaces

    • Biwott’s associates seek to claim debt in court

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    By Kenneth Mwangi

    When the powerful former Cabinet minister Nicholas Biwott died on July 2017, some of the mystery surrounding him cleared. Many felt his net worth was more than the Sh1.4 billion that was revealed – a figure that could be much smaller, depending on the outcome of several debt claims now in court.

    It is believed he had a stake in over 40 companies, among them Kenol Kobil, Sisibo Tea Factory, HZ Construction and Air Kenya.

    But his succession has revealed that Mr Biwott was either not as wealthy as perceived, or perhaps shared out a majority of his assets before death.

    Nearly three years after his demise, even the Sh1.4 billion risks being depleted owing to debt claims that are now at the centre of court battles in Nairobi and Eldoret.

    The claims indicate that Biwott may have suffered a cash crunch in his final years as the former minister allegedly died before paying debts worth millions of shillings.

    The latest claim has been made by lawyer Ahmed Adan, who alleges he lent Biwott Sh71 million between October, 2014 and May, 2015.

    The claims could leave Biwott’s net worth at Sh500 million, or less.

    On December 20, 2017, the executors of his will — lawyers Desterio Oyatsi, Hamish Keith, and Yaya Towers managing director Elisabeth Klem — asked anyone claiming money from the deceased to come forward with evidence.

    The executors rejected three claims that have now become the subject of court proceedings.

    Eldoret-based real estate baron Barnabas arap Kiprono, Biwott’s banker Rosemary Kamene Nzeki and Mr Adan all had their claims rejected. They now want the court to intervene.

    Mr Kiprono’s claim for nearly Sh1 billion is pending determination at the Eldoret High Court.

    He claims to have lent Biwott Sh382 million in cash and bank transfers to enable him to settle some debts and boost some of his businesses.

    The businessman claims that interest on his loans to Biwott have pushed the total debt to nearly Sh1 billion.

    Ms Nzeki says she handled Biwott’s Barclays Bank account for years and the same had pending salaries of Sh1.6 million for the period covering January-June, 2017.

    LOAN EVIDENCE

    The banker also loaned Biwott Sh762,600 and furnished the court with two undated cheques to prove her claim.

    On March 16, 2018, Mr Adan lodged his claim with the three executors but was denied any payment. He now wants the Sh71 million with interest paid.

    Mr Adan’s claim has sparked off a fight that could get dirty, as the executors now accuse the lawyer of trying to alter sales proceeds paid to Biwott into a loan.

    The lawyer says he loaned Biwott the funds via bank transfers from Barclays through Wetangula, Adan & Company Advocates.

    But the executors argue that the banking slips Mr Adan produced as evidence of the loans only indicate that the law firm remitted the money to Biwott as “sale proceeds and purchase price deposits”.

    “It is an abuse of the court process for Mr Adan to bring this action, alleging that he paid the said sums of money as a loan to Biwott. Mr Adan’s claim is false and an abuse of the court process,” the executors stated.

    JUDGE’S PROPOSAL

    Mr Adan argues that the executors have not given any evidence that the monies paid to Biwott were either sale proceeds or deposits for purchases.

    High Court Judge Margaret Muigai has refused to strike out the executors’ defence as requested by Mr Adan.

    Judge Muigai ruled that it is urgent to confirm, through a trial, whether the claims are valid.

    “The defence raises real issues for trial and cannot be struck off at this stage … There could be other plausible and legitimate explanations of these funds transfer,” the judge ruled.

  • Kenya News|
  • Transportation

    • Probe announced to check construction quality at Isiolo International Airport

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    By Kenneth Mwangi

    Kenya appoints a technical team to investigate poor workmanship at the Sh 3.1 billion Isiolo International Airport following the emergence of cracks on the airport’s runway, says Eastern Regional Commissioner (RC) Isaiah Nakoru.

    He  added that the team will conduct a thorough investigation, including soil analysis and establish whether the contractor used poor quality materials in order to ensure that mistakes are not repeated as the government embarks on a process to fix the cracks and extend the 1.4 km runway to 3 km so as to accommodate larger aircrafts at the facility.

    Nakoru  noted that the team of experts is expected to carry out the probe and come up with a report and recommendations within a period of one week so that repair works can begin.

    He  urged members of public from the region to utilize the airport, a mega government project that is picking up at a slow pace.

    Speaking  to  journalists in Isiolo after accompanying team of experts and the President’s Service Delivery Unit, the RC  observed that the facility had been idle three years after it was officially opened by President Kenyatta, adding it should be made vibrant.

    According  to Nakoru, the East African Safari Express, formerly Fly Sax Company has resumed flights from Nairobi to Isiolo twice in a week on Sunday and Tuesday.

    The  administrator  asked counties neighbouring Isiolo to ensure they used the airport regularly, adding that the flight charges to and from Nairobi are pocket friendly.

    Nakoru  said the government was committed to ensure that the facility is up and running, adding that the Kenya Airports  Authority (KAA)  would soon construct cargo shades at the facility in order to enable Miraa farmers and traders to utilize the airport to transport the perishable commodity instead of travelling by road all the way to Wilson Airport  in  Nairobi.

  • Kenya News|
  • Public Spaces

    • US-Kenya trade agreement creates new investment opportunities

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    By Kenneth Mwangi

    Kenyan and U.S. business leaders and government officials to explore how the private sector can take full advantage of investment and trade opportunities that will arise from a Kenya-U.S. Free Trade Agreement in a roundtable discussion hosted by Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) and the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA).

    This comes as a follow up to the recent visit of H.E. President Kenyatta to the United States, where the U.S. and Kenyan Government announced the launch of talks aimed at establishing a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries.

    If successful, it would be the first U.S. FTA with a sub-Saharan African nation and potentially a model the United States will use to enhance its trade and investment relationship with other African countries.

    Florizelle Liser, President and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), noted that a Kenya-U.S. FTA could build on Kenya’s success in trading value-added products under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

    “It is also an opportunity,” she said, “for the private sectors of both the U.S. and Kenya to deepen trade and investment ties in key sectors from energy to banking, construction, ICT/digital trade, health, manufacturing and services trade.”

    Liser mentioned that the roundtable was the first of many that CCA plans on hosting with KEPSA as a long-time partner.

    “We would like to use this platform to provide regular updates on ongoing negotiations, ensure private sector participation and support, and extract real-time opportunities for businesses.”

    KEPSA CEO, Carole Karuga, emphasized the importance of the growth of the FTA between Kenya and the USA stating that the increased trade opportunity for export and import would lead to the growth of the business.

    Karuga pointed out that Kenya is the leader of the East African Community and went further to underscore that Kenya, among the businesses in Africa participating in global trade, is leading the pact.

    “Kenya should draw lessons from Morocco on the challenges and opportunities that are emerging with the free trade agreement between them and the US in order to learn and eventually do better,” she urged.

    U.S. Ambassador to Kenya, Kyle McCarter said they look forward to working together to create a free-trade agreement that allows Kenyan and American businesses to benefit from increased access to each other’s markets and one where both their consumers will enjoy greater prosperity through expanded choice and competition within the marketplace.

    “ A successful U.S.-Kenya FTA will stand as a landmark for East Africa and for all of Africa,” said McCarter.

    A Kenya-U.S. FTA would build on the success Kenya has experienced in producing and exporting a range of value-added products to the U.S. market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), while enhancing two-way trade, strengthening commercial cooperation, and spurring investment into key sectors.

    KEPSA and CCA signed an MoU to promote mutual interests through cooperation in the promotion of trade and investment opportunities in Kenya.

    This emphasizes the need to explore opportunities between Kenya and the USA on the backdrop of the commencement of the negotiations on the free trade agreement between Kenya and the USA.

    Free trade increases prosperity for the citizens of all participating nations by allowing consumers to buy more, better-quality products at lower costs.

    It drives economic growth, enhanced efficiency, increased innovation, and the greater fairness that accompanies a rules-based system. These benefits increase as overall trade exports and imports increases.

  • Kenya News

    • Peace in South Sudan is in Kenya’s interest

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    By Kenneth Mwangi

    Kenya stands to benefit significantly from a peaceful transition in South Sudan. On Saturday, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar announced the formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGoNU).

    Dr Machar, leader of Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-in Opposition (SPLM-IO), accepted to rejoin the government as the First Vice President, based on the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), signed in September 2018 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

    The two pledged to end a five-year civil war that had sent the country’s nascent economy into convulsions.

    Kenya, being one of the largest foreign investors in that country, stands to benefit tremendously with the return of the peace and stability.

    Many Kenyans who have invested in sectors such as construction, insurance hospitality, transport and banking will see their businesses recover from effects of the 2016 civil war.

    BANKS

    Formation of the TGoNU is good news for KCB, Equity, Co-operative and Stanbic banks.

    They are among the Kenyan lenders which scaled down their operations after war erupted.

    The banks set up shop in South Sudan after it attained independence in 2011, attracted by a large unbanked population and oil wealth.

    TRADE

    Formation of the unity government is also expected to boost trade between Kenya and South Sudan.

    In the recent past, the youngest country in Africa has been a valuable export destination for many Kenyan products including foodstuff.

    According to the latest statistics from the Kenya Bureau of Statistics (KBS), Kenya’s exports to South Sudan account for 11.2 per cent of the total exports to the Common Market for East and Southern African (Comesa).

    This, arguably, places South Sudan as one of the largest export destinations for Kenya out of 18 other Comesa members.

    DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

    The return of peace in Southern Sudan will also boost key projects such as the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) corridor, which will spur socio-economic development in Kenya and the region.

    Kenya, South Sudan and Ethiopia jointly launched the infrastructure project in March 2012.

    It involves construction of a new transport corridor for the new port of Lamu, through the Kenyan towns of Garissa and Isiolo.

    One part of the corridor is meant to connect Kenya and Ethiopia while the other will connect Kenya and South Sudan through the border town of Nakodok.

    The project entails construction of a new road network, a railway line, an oil refinery in Lamu, airports in Lamu and resort cities at Isiolo and the shows of Lake Turkana.

    It will promote trade along the corridor hence open northern Kenya up to faster development

    REFUGEES MENACE

    The number of South Sudanese refugees hosted in Kenya reached 120,452 as at end of October 2019, according to figures from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

    Many are likely go back home if political stability returns with establishment of the unity government.

    This will relieve Kenya of the pressure of hosting many refugees in camps such as Kakuma in Turkana County and Dadaab in Garissa County.

    When he meet Dr Machar in Juba on Thursday, President Kiir expressed hope that the next three years of the transitional period will pave way for refugees in neighbouring countries and internally displaced persons to return to their homes.

    “The recent changes are meant for peace to be achieved. They are not meant to bring conflict back. In the next three years, we want to see new changes,” he said.

    REGIONAL PEACE

    The return of peace in South Sudan is also likely to enhance regional stability.

    It will stem the proliferation of illegal small arms and weapons.

  • Kenya News|
  • Transportation

    • Sections of Thika highway closed for seven weeks

    by

    By Kenneth Mwangi

    Footbridge construction at Survey of Kenya prompts the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) to close sections of Thika highway service lanes for seven weeks.

    KeNHA in a notice to motorists on Friday said the partial closure will remain in place until April 13.

    “The outer lanes (service lanes) shall be closed to traffic and we request motorists to exercise caution when approaching the two sections during the day and at night.

    “Motorists should also comply with the traffic management plan to be applied during the next three days,” said director general Peter Mundinia.

    Traffic will be diverted to the motorcycle and bicycle lanes to enable the contractor do his work, he said.

    The busy section is a crucial link to Mathare slums, the National Youth Service engineering school, the Kenya School of Monetary Studies, and De La Rue money printing premises.

    The other section leads to GSU headquarters and connects motorists to the Outer Ring interchange constructed last year by a Chinese company.

    The Survey footbridge will cost Sh205 million and is part of four overpasses commissioned for construction three years ago to facilitate safe crossing of pedestrians and free flow of traffic along the busy expressway way.

    The others are Garden City, Witeithie, and Mang’u.

    The Witeithie footbridge was opened last weekend, three years after KeNHA commissioned a local contractor to implement it.

    The Garden City footbridge is at 10 percent completion, while the Mang’u one is 70 percent complete.

    The Thika superhighway is one of Kenya’s busiest roads, handling about 200,000 vehicles daily, linking Nairobi to key agricultural counties in central Kenya, and to eastern and northeastern regions.

  • Featured|
  • Kenya News

    • Project announced to connect 250k households to solar power

    by

    By Kenneth Mwangi

    Kenya’s government has partnered with the World Bank to fund a US $150m project to connect 250,000 households in 14 counties to solar power through a solar electrification programme.

    Speaking during the opening of the sixth Global Off-Grid Solar Forum 2020 in Nairobi, President Uhuru Kenyatta said that 800 public facilities will also be connected to solar power as the government strives to increase power connectivity in the country. “The government hopes to make 1.9 million solar-based connections through the Kenya National Electrification Strategy. To that end, the government, in partnership with the World Bank, has committed US $150m to improve and re-access the 14 counties with low electrification rates,” he said.

    Incentives for solar products importers

    People importing solar products are also going enjoy tax exemptions and incentives in order to make them affordable. According to the President, the government’s policy to accommodate increased green energy production has seen more than two million solar products imported into the country in 2019 alone, and 6.2 million products since 2009. “Since 2013, we have tripled the number of people with access to electricity from 2.2 million to 7.2 million,” the president affirmed.

    This came as Kenya was praised for leading the world in electrification as it hosted delegates from more than 60 countries to address issues around off-grid solar energy.

    Connecting 600 million Africans

    World Bank country director, Carlos Felipe, said the global institution would enable the government realise its ambition of connecting all Kenyans to power.

    The World Bank hopes to reach out to more than 800 million people without access to electricity worldwide, 600 million of whom are in Africa.

  • Kenya News

    • West Pokot families commence reconstruction after last year’s landslides

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    By Kenneth Mwangi

    West Pokot families affected by last year’s landslides have begun rebuilding many of the homes that were destroyed with the help of the Kenya Red Cross Society, which is implementing the reconstruction on behalf of the County Government of West Pokot and the National Government Ministry of Interior.

    On Tuesday, February 2020, West Pokot Governor H.E John Lonyangapuo presided over the flagging off of 1728 iron sheets to the first group of 72 households.

    A total of 225 households in West Pokot South and Central sub-counties will benefit from the reconstruction.

  • Health & Education|
  • Kenya News

    • World Bank-funded modern market in Nairobi near completion

    by

    By Kenneth Mwangi

    According to Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, the County Government of Nairobi in Kenya is completing construction of new Karandini Modern Market in Dagoretti North Sub County. Construction works on site began in 2017 in conjunction with the Nairobi Metropolitan Services Improvement Project (NAMSIP) and will be completed in the next few months.

    The project initiative is also supported by the World Bank as part of the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development plan that aims to upgrade 15 markets in the Nairobi Metropolitan Region (NMR). According to Governor Sonko, the World Bank committed a total of US $6.5m for the development of Mwariro and Karandini modern story markets with ample parking being a priority with the county waiving all fees and approval charges for the project.

    The New Karandini Modern Market

    The New Karandini Market will have ample parking space within the building and is expected to accommodate all the displaced traders, as well as sign in new tenants. The design of the market consists of one building block with three floors. The first floor measuring an estimated area of 1684.8 square meters shall be dedicated to business dealing with clothes, accessories, and electronics while the second floor measuring 1563.6 square meters shall have recreational areas, dispensaries, and daycare facilities. The roof plan will also have dedicated 40 parking slots.

    Moreover, the compound of the building shall be surrounded by a perimeter fence with three access gates, one gate at each side of the corner. Once completed the project will facilitate job creation and growth in revenue of Nairobi’s Economy. In addition, several other markets in the city are also being constructed including Uhuru Market along Jogoo road, Mwariro Market in Starehe Constituency and the New Wakulima Market along Kangundo road.