Written by Lisa Murimi
Kenyans are facing a growing crisis of abandoned and stalled development projects worth billions of shillings across counties, according to a new report by the Auditor General.
The audit, which covers the financial year ending June 30, 2024, exposes widespread mismanagement, wasteful spending, and poor execution of projects, some of which date back over a decade.
Notable counties such as Kakamega, Meru, Samburu, and Machakos are among those with unfinished projects.
In Kakamega, 10 projects worth Sh7.24 billion remain incomplete, with over Sh3 billion already spent.
Similarly, Machakos has 54 stalled projects valued at Sh1.13 billion, with Sh 314 million already disbursed.
Samburu’s governor’s residence and other key facilities have also been abandoned, despite significant payments.
The report highlights systemic issues such as delayed funding from the Treasury, corruption, and poor financial management.
In some cases, contractors received payments but failed to complete projects, leaving essential services in limbo.
Additionally, several completed projects suffer from poor workmanship, leading to structures like cracked floors and dangerous facilities.
With development budgets shrinking due to underperforming revenues and high expenditure, the audit calls for urgent reforms to hold county governments accountable and ensure that public funds are used effectively to benefit citizens.
