Members of Parliament, (MPs) from the National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education (PIC-Governance and Education) are calling for the investigation of the University of Eldoret, (UoE) over the mismanagement of the stalled Ksh373 Million Amphitheatre project.
Led by Committee Chairperson Wanani Wamboka, Bumula MP, the MPs during an inspection tour of the incomplete structure in the institution on Tuesday said the project, which commenced on June 10, 2019, was expected to be completed by December 14, 2020. However, nearly five years later, the facility remains a shell of what was promised, with legislators faulting the University’s management for a series of irregular financial and contractual decisions.
“This project was completely mismanaged. Allowing the main contract to be terminated, and then irregularly onboarding subcontractors, has cost taxpayers a lot of money. The entire process is chaotic and riddled with illegalities,” said Mark Mwenje (Embakasi West).
The Committee established that the initial contractor abandoned the site, citing funding challenges. In response, the University’s management engaged subcontractors directly to continue portions of the work. According to the legislators, this decision contravened the Puplic Procuremeny and Asset Disposal Act since subcontractors can only operate under the umbrella of the main contractor.
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“You’re confirming that you paid subcontractors directly, despite having an active contract with the main contractor who abandoned the site. That is out rightly illegal,” Committee Chairperson Wamboka told the University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Thomas Kimeli Cheruiyot.
The legislatures further accused the Project Manager, seconded from the Ministry of Public Works, of misadvising the University throughout the project’s implementation. They alleged that his mismanagement has left the institution exposed to heavy financial losses, noting that millions of shillings had already been disbursed without tangible progress.
“The Project Manager from the Ministry of Public Works has heavily mismanaged this project and continually misadvised the institution. He must be investigated by EACC and DCI, and barred from holding any public office until these issues are resolved,” asserted Francis Sigei. The Committee also cited breaches of key legal provisions, including Section 9 of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act and Article 201 (d) of the Constitution which emphasizes accountability in the use of public resources.
“There has been a serious violation of the law, with money lost and taxpayers left in limbo. As a Committee, we will recommend to the House that EACC and DCI quickly move in to investigate the University, the Project Manager, and the overall prudence of this project,” said Wamboka.
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Legislators expressed outrage that despite the colossal sum allocated, the Amphitheatre—which was envisioned as a landmark academic and cultural hub for the institution—remains incomplete, with no clear roadmap for its completion. They warned that unless accountability is enforced, more taxpayers’ money risked going down the drain.
The Committee’s recommendations, once tabled in the House, could pave the way for a comprehensive probe into the University’s financial management, possibly leading to prosecutions of individuals found culpable. The MPs insisted that the matter should serve as a strong signal to other public institutions that financial mismanagement and disregard for procurement laws will not be tolerated.
The visit comes at a time when public confidence in the management of infrastructure projects in higher learning institutions has waned, amid recurring reports of stalled projects, inflated budgets, and questionable procurement practices.
University Vice Chancellor Prof. Thomas Kimeli Cheruiyot attributed the collapse of the main contract to funding challenges, insisting that sub-contractors were brought in to continue some works. However, MPs faulted the decision, terming it illegal and unconstitutional.
By Juma Ndigo
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