Written By Ramadhan Kambi 📝
The government has been asked for the Sh1.9 billion required to finish the Kilifi Ronald Ngala College
The tourism and hospitality stakeholders in the coast region are pushing the Ministry of Tourism to release Sh1.9 billion meant for the completion of phase I of the multi-billion Ronald Ngala Utalii College in Kilifi County
The facility is found in Vipingo, Kilifi South sub-county.
They said once the work is completed, the college will be open for learning to begin in August. Ronald Ngala Utalii College is one of the President Uhuru Kenyatta’s legacy projects in the coast region-
Initially, the project which started in 2010 was to cost Sh. 4.9 billion but due to delay and lack of funding it is set to cost Sh. 10 to Sh. 11 billion once fully complete in 2023.
The stakeholders spoke after touring the site for the first time to familiarize themselves with the project.
They called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene and ensure the funds are released immediately so that by July he comes and opens the project before he leaves office since it is one of his legacy projects in the country.
Addressing journalists at the site Eden Odhiambo Director of Research and resource Mobilisation Tourism trust Fund said the entire project is 75 percent complete.
However, he said they designed it in such a way that they complete phase one of the first phase by August so that operations can begin and the rest of the work continues until completion by August next year.
“Currently one of the major problems that we have is about funding and the financing of the project even though we had been promised by part of the government that we will get some money from the tourism promotion funds which should be able to see us really meet that target,” he said.
Odhiambo said phase one will require Sh. 1 billion and after completing that they will require Sh. 2.1 billion to complete the remaining one for the project to be completed fully.
“Initially the project was to cost Sh. 4.9 billion and that is way back in 2013 but that did not happen because of lack of funding and as it is materials have gone up now for example aluminum has gone up by 300 percent, cement has gone up by 100 percent so in terma of other related costs things have really changed,” he said.
He said the project was started in 2010 when the consultant went on board and started the design but the contractor started work in 2013 and was to be ready after five years but it did not finish.
I(n Phase one of the first phase he said they intend to complete the Administration block , two tuition blocks,kitchen, and dining , and one block of the hostels.
“The rest will be done in phase two which will be the student’s library, students center, additional hostels, staff quarters which are across the road, and the multi-purpose hall which will be able to accommodate 5000 students at ago,” he said.
Sam Ikwaye Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers Association / professional tourism industry who spoke on behalf of the stakeholders said they wanted to familiarize themselves with the legacy project which was built from funds that were deducted from the tourism industry.
He said the college will help in training the tourism staff and shall turn around the economy of not only Kilifi but the country.
Ikwaye said the report they got from tourism funds is that funds have not been coming as scheduled.
“And that is a big concern we are having because it appears we are losing a lot of money because of these delays,” he said.
He said TF requires funding adding that money they heard was released in December last year and wondered why the funds have not been given to the Tourism fund.
“Our appeal is to the excellency the president to intervene where you can so that we can have this handed to us stakeholders within the time before you leave office hopefully by July before you leave office we hopefully expect you to come and hand the project to us,” he said.
Pauline Nduva a resort manager Diani Sea resort a Member Kenya Association of Women in tourism said it was her first time at the site and has appreciated the concept as it will help upscale the quality of staff they will be having once it begins operations.
However, she said their major concern was the duration it has taken to complete the project which is very long.
“Since the work begun up to now we see there is a lot of work to be done though we have been promised that by August this year the first phase of the project will be launched and can be able to for the first time begin taking students,” she said.
Once complete it will be the second hospitality college of its kind in the country after Utalii college which is based in Nairobi.
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