Tana Water Works Development Agency (TWWDA) chairman Wanyaga Gathaka addressing journalists at Chogoria Water Treatment plant yesterday
By Charles Kinyua
Worth Noting:
- Further, the board chief wondered why land acquisition that is the major challenge affecting all projects cannot be effected before setting the projects commencement dates and promised to consult senior government officials over the issue.
- “There is absolutely no reason why a contractor should be allowed to commence construction before resolving land issues as it is a major component in all projects,” observed Gathaka.
- Almost all ongoing projects that he has inspected were awarded over four years ago yet most of that were scheduled to be completed within 18 months have dragged on, some for as long as 40 months, thereby denying residents the right to access to both water and sewerage services.
Tana Water Works Development Agency (TWWDA) may be the first government agency to implement a proposal by the Kenya Kwanza administration to give preference to local contractors while awarding various tenders.
During a tour of ongoing projects in Tharaka Nithi County, the agency’s newly appointed chairman Wanyaga Gathaka lamented that foreign contractors were causing unnecessary delays thereby denying intended consumers a right to effective and fast service.
He noted that almost all foreign contractors were behind schedule in the implementation of projects awarded to them while local contractors who were supposedly lowly capacitated were completing their in time and handing over splendid jobs.
Further, the board chief wondered why land acquisition that is the major challenge affecting all projects cannot be effected before setting the projects commencement dates and promised to consult senior government officials over the issue.
“There is absolutely no reason why a contractor should be allowed to commence construction before resolving land issues as it is a major component in all projects,” observed Gathaka.
Almost all ongoing projects that he has inspected were awarded over four years ago yet most of that were scheduled to be completed within 18 months have dragged on, some for as long as 40 months, thereby denying residents the right to access to both water and sewerage services.
TWWDA engineer Erastus Waweru who accompanied the chairman explained that in the past, the national Treasury has been reluctant to release funds for land acquisition before commencement of the projects arguing that the government cannot buy idle land.
One of the completed projects and undertaken by a local contractor is the Chogoria Water Treatment Works that cost KSh374 million and with a month to official completion date the project is 98 per cent complete.
Eng. Waweru explained that family disagreements and lack of ownership documents were major impediments to land acquisition in most areas and should be addressed decisively in good time to ensure that projects are completed in time and deny contractors excuses to seek extensions.
The chairman further observed that taxpayers lost a lot on foreign exchange fluctuations when projects take longer time than projected noting that when most of the ongoing projects were awarded, the dollar was exchanging at around KSh100 while as on now is more than Ksh124.
“Mechanism should and must be put in place to ensure that contracts must be completed in the proposed time. The Kenya Kwanza government believes in fast, effective and efficient service delivery and am here to ensure that it delivers on its mandate” emphasized the chairman.
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