Sh400m VP residence awaits Kibaki launch

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By KIPCHUMBA SOME ksome@ke.nationmedia.co.ke
Posted  Saturday, September 1  2012 at  20:35

IN SUMMARY

• It is unclear whether Kalonzo Musyoka will move into the house given that the General Election is only six months away.
• But support staff, including security men, have already moved into their quarters in the complex, according to a source at the ministry of Public Works, which has been overseeing the construction of the house.
• The hand over will come more than eight months after the December 13, 2011 deadline the contractor had promised to hand over the project.

Seven years after the groundwork began, the official residence of the Vice-President is complete and is ready for occupation.

The palatial residence that has gobbled up about Sh400 million is awaiting an official launch by President Kibaki.

“The residence is complete and has been handed over to the Office of the Vice-President by the ministry of Public Works. What is awaited is a launch date,” said the Vice-President’s spokesman Kaplich Barsito.

But it is unclear whether Kalonzo Musyoka will move into the house given that the General Election is only six months away.

But support staff, including security men, have already moved into their quarters in the complex, according to a source at the ministry of Public Works, which has been overseeing the construction of the house.

Bloated costs

But the hand over will come more than eight months after the December 13, 2011 deadline the contractor, Vittorio Veneziani, had promised to hand over the project that has been blighted by missed deadlines and bloated costs.

The government resolved to construct the official residence of the VP in 2005 and the tender was given to Dimken Kenya Ltd to carry out the works at a cost of Sh197 million.

The contract was later terminated due to non-performance and the works given to Vittorio Veneziani, with the costs doubling to Sh383 million.

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A garage for a number of vehicles is attached to the main house. The VP’s house has a lounge on the ground floor, washrooms, library and visitor’s bedroom.

For children

Located on the first floor is a common space, living room, two bedrooms for children. The office block consists of the VP’s office, a boardroom, press centre, interpreter’s room, lounge and caretaker’s office.

The Comptroller’s block has several offices, bedrooms and study room. The complex has six security rooms, a common sitting room and kitchen and an armoury whose walls are reinforced with steel.

The staff quarters has three buildings with three units having two-bedroom and three-bedroom houses.