Deputy Chief of Staff for Performance and Delivery Management Eliud Owalo and other officials during a tour of one of the projects
By Suleiman Mbatiah
The government is set to unveil a policy framework that limits the number of national projects a contractor can bid for simultaneously. This decisive step aims to address widespread delays in project delivery.
Speaking during an inspection and verification tour of national government projects in Nakuru County, Deputy Chief of Staff for Performance and Delivery Management Eliud Owalo highlighted a troubling trend where contractors overstretch themselves by taking on more projects than they can manage.
“As a government, we plan to introduce a policy framework that restricts the number of projects a contractor can bid for within a given jurisdiction at any one time. This will help eliminate inordinate delays caused by contractors’ lack of capacity,” Mr. Owalo said.
The Nakuru tour is part of a nationwide oversight program to evaluate the progress and effectiveness of government-funded initiatives.
Mr. Owalo noted that some contractors, despite securing multiple contracts and receiving milestone-based payments, consistently fail to meet deadlines. He warned that such inefficiencies undermine the government’s commitment to timely service delivery and erode public trust.
“We want to caution contractors that we will not tolerate situations where the government has fulfilled its obligations by making payments based on agreed milestones, yet contractors still fail to deliver within stipulated timelines,” he said.
To enforce accountability, Mr. Owalo announced that contractors who repeatedly underperform or miss deadlines will be blacklisted and barred from future government projects. This aligns with broader efforts to ensure taxpayer resources are used efficiently.
“Such contractors will be blacklisted and disqualified from undertaking government projects going forward,” he warned.
Mr. Owalo stressed the government’s duty to the public, adding that once contractors are onboarded and payments disbursed as per milestones, failure to perform will no longer be excused.
“As a government, we are accountable to the public. After onboarding contractors and meeting our financial obligations based on required milestones, we will not allow some to underperform because they have taken on more work than they can handle,” he said.
Once approved by the Cabinet, the proposed policy is expected to tighten procurement processes, boost contractor accountability, and speed up the completion of critical infrastructure and development projects nationwide. It marks a significant shift in the government’s approach to project management, prioritizing performance and capacity in contractor selection.
Similar Posts by The Mt Kenya Times:
- Mt Kenya Times ePAPER August 26, 2026
- Mt Kenya Times ePAPER August 25, 2026
- Mt Kenya Times ePAPER August 24, 2026
- Diaspora Times Global Aug 22 – Aug 28, 2026
- Mt Kenya Times ePAPER August 21, 2026
About the Author
