Sunday, November 7, 2010

New President’s office plan put on hold

President Kibaki in his current office at Harambee House, Nairobi. Photo/FILE

By BENJAMIN MUINDI bmuindi@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Sunday, November 7 2010 at 22:13

Plans to build President Kibaki a new office in Upper Hill, Nairobi, have stalled.

Commissioner of Lands Zablon Mabea did not acquire the land required for putting up the New Harambee House.

The intention of the proposed office was to keep the President out of the congested city centre, where his motorcade is often blamed for the perennial traffic jams which occur every time he is going to or leaving his office at Harambee House.

According to Housing permanent secretary Tirop Kosgey, the construction of the office would have cost Sh1.6 billion.

An ultra-modern commercial building was among four properties that were set to be demolished to pave the way for the new office.

Mr Kosgey said the President’s new office was to be built on land set aside for the construction of Capitol Hill Police Station at Upper Hill.

But Mr Mabea, in a gazette notice, said the new plans for the land may be inspected at his office in Ardhi House, Nairobi.

The project was planned to start during the 2009/2010 financial year, but Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta, did not allocate Sh500 million which had been requested by the Cabinet Office to start the project.

The President’s offices have been at Harambee House since 1961. The government has just acquired a new office for Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

The office block was bought from Shell/BP for Sh700 million and refurbished at a cost of Sh300 million. It is a five-storey building across the road from the President’s Harambee House.

The PM had been working from the Treasury Building. President Kibaki, while opening the offices last month, said the PM would work in a conducive environment.

The President said although the building was called Office of the Prime Minister, it was only temporary as the office would not be there after two years but the building would remain as it was a government office. “I am sure it will be put into good use.”

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