Thirteen county assemblies are under scrutiny from the Auditor-General for failing to complete construction of official residences for their Speakers, three years after the June 2022 deadline set by the national government.

Despite a clear directive issued by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) nearly a decade ago, audit findings show delayed projects, inflated costs, and widespread violations of procurement laws.

The SRC had directed all county assemblies on October 24, 2016 to begin construction of Speaker residences in the 2018/2019 financial year, with a strict completion deadline of June 30, 2022.

Each unit was capped at a cost of Sh35 million, amounting to a total of Sh455 million across the 47 counties.

However, the 2023/2024 audit by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu reveals that 13 counties have missed the deadline, with some projects facing up to six extensions and others marred by overspending, irregular allowances, or incomplete construction.

“Failure to complete the projects may lead to increased costs due to escalating prices of materials and services,” the Auditor-General warned.

Counties flagged in the report include Vihiga, Kericho, Nyandarua, Tana River, Marsabit, Uasin Gishu, Mandera, Tharaka Nithi, Homa Bay, Kisumu, Kisii, Nyamira and Busia.

In Kericho, the county assembly signed a Sh34.6 million contract in August 2019, with an initial completion date set for January 2020. The project has since been extended six times with no meaningful progress.

A physical inspection in September 2024 showed that plumbing, internal finishes, electrical work, fittings, and painting worth Sh16.2 million were still pending.

The total cost had increased by Sh11.4 million, 33 percent above the original contract. The report also found that the county violated Regulation 137(e) of the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Regulations by failing to monitor specialised procurement activities.

Vihiga County emerged as one of the worst offenders, spending Sh73.4 million on the Speaker’s residence—more than double the SRC limit. The house, which sits on 1.15 hectares of private land acquired without a title deed, exceeded its approved cost by Sh4.2 million.

Additional unapproved expenditures include Sh19.8 million for landscaping, fencing, and a boundary wall; Sh1.4 million for an external toilet; Sh3.4 million for borehole drilling; Sh1.98 million for interior décor; and Sh2.98 million for furniture.

Some flower pots were priced at Sh55,000 each, and a decorative mirror had not been delivered.

The Auditor-General noted that despite the residence being occupied, the Speaker continued to receive housing allowances. “No explanation was provided as to why construction was incomplete, or why rental allowances were paid after the lease expired on June 30, 2022,” said Nancy Gathungu.

A contract worth Sh6.77 million for borehole drilling was awarded in May 2024, and Sh1.98 million was committed for interior fittings—still not fully delivered. Auditors found portraits worth Sh8,000 pending delivery.

In Marsabit, the Speaker received Sh900,000 in housing allowances without any lease documentation being provided for audit. Nyandarua County built the Speaker’s residence on 1.7 hectares of private land and paid Sh19.8 million for a boundary wall.

Inspections uncovered structural faults and an absent contractor.

Tharaka Nithi’s project, which was to be completed by May 2023, was only 56.7 percent complete by June 2024.

The contract was extended twice without justification. In Tana River, a new Sh28.8 million contract was awarded in November 2023, yet only Sh5 million had been paid by September 2024, and construction remained stalled. A previous contract, terminated in May 2021, lacked documentation to support Sh14.3 million in payments.

Busia County issued contracts worth Sh2.85 million for landscaping and fencing in June 2024, only to later award another contract for similar works via direct procurement at Sh5 million—without any explanation for bypassing open tendering.

Bomet’s Sh34.5 million project, signed in January 2022, had only reached 48 percent completion by mid-2024.

The contractor had abandoned the site. In Kisumu, the Speaker’s residence—awarded at Sh34.1 million in January 2021—is 95 percent complete, but the contractor vanished after receiving Sh32 million.

In Homa Bay, a contractor was paid Sh13.4 million for a Sh32 million contract issued in March 2023, yet only the first-floor slab had been done. There was no title deed for the land.

Kisii County’s residence, budgeted at Sh33 million in August 2023, remains incomplete beyond the August 2024 deadline. Nyamira has spent Sh24.2 million on its Sh34.4 million project, which is currently 70 percent done.

Mandera County had paid Sh9.5 million of a Sh31.6 million contract signed in March 2023, with completion set for March 2025. Landscaping and water works were ongoing, but there were no progress reports or certificates available for verification.

The report paints a troubling picture of persistent delays, financial mismanagement, and disregard for legal and regulatory guidelines in the construction of Speaker residences across several counties.