MP puts contractors on notice

Embu

Saturday August 12, 2023

KNA by Samuel Waititu

Manyatta MP Gitonga Mukunji has cautioned contractors undertaking various government projects in the area that they must deliver them on time and also do quality work or risk termination of contracts.

He said there has been a growing tendency by some contractors to abandon projects midway or do shoddy work despite raking in millions of government monies to the detriment of beneficiaries.

Speaking in Embu Town on Friday during a meeting with various water projects leaders in the constituency, Mukunji said they cannot tolerate these tendencies by a few rogue contractors who give government a bad name and also taint the image of their colleagues.

He particularly took issue with the contractor awarded New Kithimu and Itabua-Muthatari Water Projects to the tune of about Sh. 400 million two years ago for leaving the site before completing them despite being paid.

“We are giving the contractor a two-week ultimatum to return to site and complete the projects or else I will push for the termination of the contract,” the MP said.

Additionally, the MP said the contractor undertaking the Lower Githegi Water project did a shoddy job and the target population was not getting water as a result.

He said he will be in the frontline in ensuring all contractors undertaking works across the constituency do due diligence so that the government gets value for money and locals draw benefits from them.

He also asked projects leadership to be reporting cases of rogue contractors to his office so that he can follow-up with relevant Government entities to ensure public resources did not go to waste. 

Itabua-Muthatari Project Chairman Peter Ireri said the contractor started work well but somehow along the way abandoned the project halfway and called for government intervention to fast track completion.

On his part, Geoffrey Munyi, General Manager Ngandori-Nginda Water Consumer Association lamented that they have incurred huge losses in replacement of supply pipes destroyed by road contractors.

“We have spent close to Sh 50 million to repair and replace pipes destroyed by the contractor tarmacking Kangaru-Kairuri road,” Munyi said.

This, he said, had hampered their services and planned extension and asked for compensation from the Ministry of Road and Transport to get back on feet.

Courtesy ; K. N. A