Members of Parliament have expressed serious concerns over the transparency and procurement procedures surrounding the Sh31.6 billion facelift of Bomas of Kenya. The ongoing renovations have progressed without clear communication or approval from the National Assembly, prompting calls for detailed disclosures by the Tourism ministry.
At a recent meeting with Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano, MPs from the Wildlife and Tourism Committee demanded comprehensive information on how the project was approved and awarded.
They questioned whether the procurement was conducted openly or through direct negotiations without public advertisement.
Kareke, the committee chair, criticized the ministry’s lack of openness, saying, “Please CS tell us what is happening, your people are only keen on engaging us during the budget process but during the implementation process they pass us. We only see projects being launched in high profile events where the president is involved and we are in the dark.”
Lawmakers such as Abdi Ali (Ijaara) and Innocent Mugambe (Likuyani) pointed out that similar issues had arisen during the costly Kenyatta International Convention Centre renovations, which were also handled by the Ministry of Defence.
They stressed the need for clarity to avoid repeating past mistakes that led to delays and public dissatisfaction.
Mugambe demanded, “There are a lot of works ongoing at Bomas of Kenya and as the oversight committee we don’t know what is going on. We should not take this lightly, we must be provided with information.”
The committee insisted on receiving copies of contracts, procurement adverts if any, and detailed project plans to verify that the funds are used appropriately and that the project delivers value for money.
Responding to the queries, CS Miano acknowledged the concerns and said she was in the process of handing over Bomas of Kenya and the Tourism Promotion Fund from the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage to her ministry.
She promised to share all relevant details once the handover was complete.
“We have taken note of the members’ concerns both for the Tourism Promotion Fund and Bomas of Kenya which has now been domiciled in our ministry and we are in the process of handing over,” she stated.
