Three Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) projects worth Sh21.9 billion started towards the end of former President Uhuru Kenyatta's last term in office have stalled due to lack of funding.
The projects, which started between November 2021 and June 2022, are all way past their completion dates.
President William Ruto's Kenya Kwanza administration has not made budgetary allocations to complete the mega projects.
The latest audit by the Ministry of Defence shows that only Sh3.16 billion has been paid to contractors for the three projects, leaving a balance of Sh18.77 billion.
Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu, in a report for the financial year ending June 2024 tabled in Parliament, says contractors have abandoned two projects with 20 percent completion while the third has stalled at 60 percent completion.
“Review of the Ministry’s projects progress reports and project implementation status reports indicate that three projects, initiated between November 2021 and June 2022 with cumulative contract amounts of Sh21,946,793,240 and cumulative certified works and payments of Sh3,167,246,076 as at June 30, 2024, had stalled,” Ms Gathungu said.
The proposed hospital was due to be completed on January 18, 2025 but stalled at 20 percent completion.
The project, whose contract was signed on January 18, 2021, was launched by Mr Kenyatta on August 31, 2021.
The hospital was expected to provide specialised services to security sector agencies and the general public.
Speaking while officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony at Kabete Army Barracks in Nairobi County, Mr Kenyatta said the construction of the 700-bed capacity level six hospital was part of the government's sustained efforts to achieve the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) pillar of the Big 4 development blueprint.
“This level 6 hospital will cater for the needs of all men and women working in our security agencies. It is indeed a proud day for our country, for our security agencies, given that this is the first project of this magnitude that has been done since the Armed Forces Memorial Hospital was done in the early 1970s,” Mr Kenyatta said at the time.
He said the new hospital was a landmark project that would provide quality medical care to Kenya’s security personnel exposed to danger while protecting the country’s borders, its citizens and their property.
The proposed permanent camp for 8 Brigade Headquarters and Mechanised Infantry Battalion (MIB), which was to be completed by August 14, 2023 at an estimated cost of Sh2.8 billion, stalled at 20 percent completion .
The contract for the project was signed on December 14, 2021 but only Sh175 million has been paid to the contractor, leaving a balance of Sh2.634 billion.
President William Ruto presented 23 MIB with the presidential and regimental colours on December 12, 2022, making the unit fully operational.
The 23 Mechanised Infantry Battalion was formed on July 19, 2017 alongside 25 Mechanised Infantry Battalion and 27 Mechanised Infantry Battalion, which form the 8th Infantry Brigade commanded by Brigadier David Chesire.
The Marsabit-based unit became fully operational on November 30, 2018.
Also stalled is the upgrade of the proposed 4.2 kilometre road, which was abandoned at 60 percent completion.
The road, whose contract took effect on June 21, 2022 and was expected to be completed by December 21, 2022, was abandoned after Sh90.19 million was paid to the contractor. A balance of Sh147,986,798 is yet to be paid to the contractor.
The exact location of the proposed improvement of the 4.2 kilometre road was not disclosed in the audit report.
Ms Gathungu said physical verification carried out in October and December 2024 revealed that the respective contractors were not on site and no work was ongoing.
She said management had failed to disclose measures and strategies put in place to revive and complete the stalled projects.
“In addition, evidence that the contractors renewed their performance bonds was not provided for audit review,” Ms Gathungu said.
“In the circumstances, the value for money for the Sh3,167,246,076 incurred on stalled projects could not be confirmed.”
