In recent weeks, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has found himself in the eye of a storm, facing intense scrutiny over alleged financial irregularities and abandoned development projects that date back to his tenure as the Machakos Governor.
The storm was unleashed by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), which raised the curtain on a distressing chapter of unaccounted billions and stalled initiatives.
The Auditor General, Nancy Gathungu, recently released a report that delved into the financial dealings and project execution during Alfred Mutua’s ten-year reign as the Governor of Machakos County. The findings were far from reassuring.
Stalled Projects and Unanswered Questions
These projects, which were awarded to various contractors during Mutua’s tenure, have remained incomplete and are the subject of growing concern.
Among them is the construction of two multi-story buildings, the commencement of which dates back to 2015. Despite the passing of years, their completion remains uncertain.
The report also highlights the curious timeline of these construction projects.
In 2018, Mutua awarded a contract for the construction of a 12-storey building valued at Ksh399 million. He also awarded another contract for an 11-storey building worth Ksh394 million.
However, according to the Auditor General’s report, the contractors seem to have abandoned these projects, as confirmed during a site visit in October 2022.
These two buildings, originally slated for an eight-week completion, have together drained a staggering Ksh176 million without showing any substantial progress.
A Pattern of Incompletion
The issues don’t stop at the multi-storey buildings.
The report also spotlights several other incomplete projects that were supposed to be game-changers for Machakos County. Notably, the Mumbuni Dam, with a budget of over Ksh750 million, remains unfinished.
Furthermore, multiple stadiums with an expected budget of Ksh147 billion are still in a state of limbo.
In total, all pending projects from Mutua’s ten-year tenure amount to a staggering Ksh1.8 billion. This places Machakos county among the most wasteful in the nation.
Lingering Legal Matters
In addition to the incomplete projects, the report also takes a critical look at financial management under Mutua’s leadership.
The report sadly reveals that the CS left the office laden with pending bills to the tune of Ksh3.1 billion. Legal fees also contributed to this financial quagmire, reaching Ksh1.14 billion.
These legal bills have the dubious distinction of placing Machakos County at the top of the list for contentious payments, representing 37 percent of all contentious bills by counties.
From Grand Promises to Disappointment
Alfred Mutua began his political career with grand promises of transforming Machakos County into a breathtaking city.
However, his vision seemed to crumble as the years went by.
By 2021, the ambitious project to build a city from scratch had already consumed a total of Ksh1.3 billion. This further raised questions about the feasibility and transparency of this project.
In his last term as governor, the CS also faced backlash from a section of the public after spending Ksh 350 million to build new offices commonly referred to as ‘the White House’.
The Tourism Cabinet Secretary has also faced public mockery for his bold claim that he would install a Formula 1 racing track in Machakos, a venture that was poised to be the first of its kind in Africa.
However, this vision has yet to see the light of day, leaving many to wonder if it was a promise too big to fulfill.
