The County Government of Bungoma may lose shs 8.8 million if a road contractor is paid despite not having completed the work assigned.
The contractor M/S Wa $ Wa reportedly subcontracted Mr Rodgers Sifuna Wekhwaya of Namwaya construction whose company reportedly did a “ shoddy job”.
According to documents obtained by Hot News, M/S Wa $ Wa was awarded contract number BGM/CNTY/RPW/CEF/13/2018-2019 periodic maintenance of roads in Mukuyuni ward in Kabuchai Constituency.
The road in question is off the Kimilili- Chwele road at Kuywa junction before Kuywa River as one heads to Chwele from Kimilili.
In the bills of quantities, it’s labeled as Kuywa Junction, Sikulu secondary school –Lukhuna road.
The contract was awarded on 3rd December 2018.
Its signed by acting Bungoma chief officer for roads Christine Wasike , acting director supply chain management Cheboss Juma , Rodgers Sifuna Wekhwaya on behalf of Wa $ Wa and Mr Peter Wamalwa as a witness.
The contract sum was shs 8,867,405.40 and the road was to be complete in 3 months before the onset of the heavy rains.
However, residents claimed the contractor did a “shoddy job” and that some sections of the road are impassable with no culverts.
“We raised the issue with the County Government of Bungoma. We were told the contractor was demanding payment for the shoddy job. We asked the County government not to pay them,” said Patrick Wangila a resident in Mukuyuni road.
The bills of quantities states that a total of shs 3,540,000 was to be used for culverts and drainage works which residents insist are not yet done.
When contacted for comment, Rodgers Sifuna Wekhwaya of Namwaya Construction said he was not the one who was contracted by the County Government of Bungoma to do the job.
This is despite Rodgers having signed documents on behalf of M/S Wa $ Wa.
A source who requested anonymity said Rodgers simply used Wa $ Wa profile to get the contract.
Another one said he forged Wa $ Wa documents.
“I simply requested Wa $ Wa to allow me supply murrum. I used my Tippers,” he said.
He added that the EACC is investigating the matter and that he has been summoned.
“I am not in that business. Go and ask the County Government of Bungoma. We had settled that issue and I don’t want such stories. They put it all over the media and everybody has heard about it,” he said.
However, Wa $ Wa director only identified as a Mr Wahome did not respond to queries on why the company did not complete the job yet demanded payments from the County Government of Bungoma.
He did not pick calls nor respond to text messages sent to his phone.
According to the documents, Wa $ Wa is situated on the 14th floor of Anniversary Towers, University Way, Nairobi.
Residents said the road is approximately 4 km.
Paul Mukwe who hails from Sikulu Primary School area said the construction works begun in December 2018 and went on till early February.
H e said the road has no proper drainage and that since it’s raining, water clogs..
“They did not put murrum, they simply put red soil on the road. At Sikulu Primary School gate, the road is impassable because of clogged flood water.”
“Run- off water from the road has flooded the home of the late Simaeli Namasambu. At Sikulu Polytechnic, the neighboring Mwalimu Samson Walumoli;s compound is flooded with run-off water. There is no drainage and the
thin layer of red soil that was put on the road in the guise of murrum is being washed away,” Mukwe said.
He added that the contractor felled trees belonging to residents living along the road and only graded a narrow section.