- MPs have grilled officials over the stalled Sh69.9 million Luanda TVC project, after the contractor allegedly halted work and demanded an additional Sh6 million.
- Sigalagala National Poly has confirmed it will not release further payments until work is verified, disputing the contractor’s Sh7.9 million claim against an assessed value of about Sh747,000.
- The committee has directed the project team to submit a clear completion roadmap
The National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education has raised concerns over the prolonged delay in the completion of the Sh69.9 million Luanda Technical and Vocational College (TVC) project, citing poor project management and alleged abandonment of the site by the contractor.
The project, which comprises workshops, classrooms and office blocks, was initially scheduled for completion in March 2024. An Auditor-General’s report for the 2023/24 financial year showed the works were only 55 per cent complete and had fallen 32 weeks behind schedule by June 30, 2024.
The project came under fresh scrutiny when officials appeared before the committee, chaired by Luanda MP Dick Maungu, with lawmakers demanding an explanation for the delays despite the availability of funds.
The committee was informed that Capital Icon Construction Limited, the contractor undertaking the project, had been granted an extension until November 19, 2026. The project is now reported to be 85 per cent complete, with most major structural works substantially finished. However, the contractor has reportedly stopped meaningful work at the site and is demanding an additional Sh6 million, citing fluctuations in construction costs. Project Implementation Committee chairman Walter Obwogo told MPs the contractor had failed to maintain satisfactory progress despite being granted additional time. “Meaningful activity on site appears to have stopped,” he said, adding that the contractor was issued a formal notice of default on August 20, 2026, and directed to resume work.
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The committee was further informed that the contractor had submitted a payment claim of Sh7.9 million for work allegedly completed, but the project team assessed the value of the works at approximately Sh747,000, a disparity that triggered sharp exchanges between MPs and officials overseeing the project. Maungu questioned why the contractor had been allowed to continue falling behind schedule despite adequate funding. “This is not about money. It is about project management,” he said, accusing the project management team of failing to deliver the facility.
He said students were bearing the brunt of the delays. “I can confirm that the students in Luanda are learning under a tree and in a primary school class. They have money in the account. The management has failed to deliver,” Maungu said, warning against keeping funds idle while projects remain incomplete. “The government money should not just die in an account. That money is meant for a purpose,” he said, directing the project team to provide a clear roadmap for completing the works.
Lawmakers also questioned why the contractor had not been terminated despite the prolonged delays. Kiminini MP Maurice Kakai Bissau warned that weaknesses in contract management could expose the government to further financial losses. “If you are following the articles of the contract, they will not even dare come back for variation,” he said, urging officials to review the project’s procurement and contract-management procedures. Bomachoge Chache MP Alpha Miruka proposed giving the contractor until November 30 to complete the project, failing which the contract should lapse and the government commence a fresh procurement process. Maungu, however, appeared reluctant to support another extension, noting the project had already exceeded its original completion deadline by more than two years.
Sigalagala National Polytechnic, the project’s mentor institution, defended its handling of payments, saying it would not release public funds for work that had not been completed and verified. Sigalagala chief principal Evans Bosire told MPs the contractor had previously received about Sh5 million but had failed to make expected progress. “He wants to tell me to pay him around Sh8 million for work he has not done,” Bosire said, insisting the institution would not allow public funds to be lost. “We ensure that we measure the work done, and that’s the only money we pay. Extras we don’t,” he said, explaining that Sigalagala’s role was to mentor Luanda TVC on behalf of the Ministry of Education and ensure construction complied with procurement laws. “We follow the law to the letter. I don’t want the government to lose a single cent in a wrong way,” he said.
Project architect Anthony Ekajul of the Public Works Department cautioned MPs against immediately terminating the contract, saying the process could result in further delays. “Termination is a process. We might end up another three years before we get back to the project,” he said, proposing continued engagement with the contractor while ensuring payments remained strictly tied to verified work. Some MPs, however, argued that retaining an underperforming contractor could prove more costly than termination.
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Kilome MP Thaddeus Nzambia said the government had previously witnessed cases where contractors completed major structural works before abandoning projects and later demanding additional payments through variations, urging project managers to take corrective action as soon as it became evident that a contractor was unlikely to meet contractual obligations. Kasipul MP Boyd Were warned that keeping project funds in an account would not benefit the public if the facility remained incomplete for years. “The money may be safe, but if the project stalls for two or three years, at the end of the day we are lost,” he said.
The committee directed the project implementation team to submit a clear plan detailing how the stalled works would be completed and the measures being taken to compel the contractor to resume construction.
Maungu said the committee would continue monitoring the project, insisting that government-funded projects must deliver value for money. The standoff comes more than two years after the facility was initially scheduled for completion, leaving students and the local community facing continued disruption as lawmakers push for the Sh69.9 million investment to translate into a fully operational TVC.
By Godfrey Wamalwa
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