Several counties in western Kenya may have misappropriated billions of shillings set aside for development projects, a good number which remain incomplete years after the expiry of the time set for construction.
Physical verification by the Office of the Auditor-General indicated that some of the projects did not commence while others stalled at the early stages despite money being allocated and paid.
In Busia County, the department of health and sanitation for instance made payments totalling Sh44 million to a firm for construction of a maternity and new born unit at Busia County Referral Hospital.
The contract was to be executed in 12 months from June 19, 2014 to June 19, 2015. As at June 30, 2017, the county executive had paid over Sh31 million to the contractor.
However, physical verification conducted two-and-a-half years after expiry of the planned completion date revealed the works stalled at 40 per cent, with no evidence to indicate that the project period was extended.
Mid last year, Governor Sospeter Ojaamong was arrested after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) approved charges against him and nine others over fraud in the integrated solid waste management services project, in which. Sh20 million was lost.