Thursday, October 13, 2011

VP's residence to cost taxpayers Sh383 million





By Mutinda Mwanzia
The cost of the long-awaited official residence of the Vice-President has shot up by Sh186 million.
Taxpayers will fork out additional funds to cover the costs to complete the residence, which sits on a ten-acre piece of land in the plush suburb of Karen.
A section of the Vice-President’s official residence in Karen that is still under construction. Photo: Boniface Okendo/Standard
The original contractor, M/s Dimken Kenya Limited was awarded the tender for the residence on January 25, 2006 at a contract sum of Sh197,004,780 and was expected to complete the project on January 27, 2007.
However, the contract was terminated on October 21, 2008 due to non-performance despite the contractor having been paid Sh69,975,895 million.
Following termination of the Dimken contract, the Government awarded the tender to a new company, M/s Italbuild Imports Ltd at a contract sum of Sh383,066,066 million.
Satisfied
Yesterday, Public Works Minister Chris Obure made an inspection tour of the residence and expressed satisfaction that the project will be complete by mid-December.
He said the VP would occupy the residence that will be officially handed over to the Government by the contractor on December 13.
"Certainly the current VP Kalonzo Musyoka can move into the residence as soon as he wishes once it is handed over to the Government," said Obure.
The minister said the residence would be the official home of current and future VPs, adding that it was long overdue. He revealed that the official residence of the VP was currently occupied by former President Moi, adding that this had necessitated the building of a new residence.
"I don’t know the specific agreement that was reached to change the ownership of the residence," said Obure, adding that the land where the house had been put up was owned by the Government.
Yesterday, Obure and ministry officials who later took journalists on a tour of the residence termed the project as "good value for money".
Italbuild MD Vittorio Veneziani assured Obure that the project would be complete by the designateddate, saying 85 per cent of the work was complete. The residence comprises a main house with a master bedroom, three children’s bedrooms and two guest wings. Other notable structures include a one-storeyed caretaker’s house and an office block for the VP that has a boardroom, lounge and a media centre.
Swimming pool
There is also a guesthouse, staff quarters and a security house. The staff quarters comprise of six two-bedroomed and three one-bedroomed houses. The opulence of the residence is captured in the massive swimming pool that has an adjacent gym complete with a sauna and steam bath. Works on the swimming pool are almost complete.
To ensure the residence has a limitless supply of water, a borehole has been sunk and a water treatment plant completed. There is also a six-car garage and a stand-by generator.
Obure said the initial contractor did not meet the required deadlines and obligations in completing the project leading to termination of the contract.

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