Mandera governor’s official mansion highlights questionable spending priorities

As Mandera Governor Ali Roba completes his second and final term in office, he finds himself in a difficult position - his administration is yet to finish development projects he initiated in the 2013/2014 financial year. 

Every financial year, the county pumps more cash into the same projects initiated at the onset of devolution.

Mr Roba has blamed slow development in Mandera on insecurity and lack of locally skilled labour, attributing increases in budgets for projects to variations in the cost of construction materials and labour.  

One of the largest projects was and remains the building of the county headquarters office block, whose initial cost was Sh290 million. The others are the governor’s official residence (Sh107 million), the county assembly block (Sh184 million) and county hotel (Sh294 million). 

Other projects initiated in 2013/2014 include Mandera International Airport, whose feasibility study cost Sh300 million, the building of the Mandera International Livestock Market for Sh170 million and the tarmacking of a 20km road in Mandera town for Sh2.4 billion. 

Mr Roba also initiated the construction of the Elwak Regional Market, whose first phase consumed Sh360 million.

Recently, pictures of the official residence of the Mandera governor emerged and caused a stir on social media.

The photos of the imposing building in arid Mandera were taken on October 14, during a visit by members of the Commission on Revenue Allocation, led by chairperson Jane Kiringai.

Some Kenyans questioned why Governor Roba’s administration spent hundreds of millions of shillings to build the two-storey home when a majority of Mandera residents wallowed in abject poverty.

In the current financial year, Sh9 million will be used to furnish the mansion.

In 2015, Mr Roba fell out with Billow Kerrow, the first senator, after the latter termed the governor’s projects as misplaced priorities.

The castle-like home is nearing completion but the interesting thing is that Mr Roba might never reside in it despite being the brains behind it.

The house, with a perimeter wall, is located in vast dry land on the outskirts of Mandera, some 10km from the town centre. In its compound are a towering mast for a flood light and a swimming pool.

In 2019, Governor Roba was taken to task by Mohamed Okash, a voter and an elder in Mandera, to explain how money sent to the county had been utilised.

Mr Okash wrote to President Kenyatta asking for his intervention in what he described as localised marginalization.

By the time Mr Okash was seeking the President’s attention, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) had forwarded at least four files to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), but all went silent.

In a 2019 report, the Auditor-General at the time, Edward Ouko, questioned the Mandera County executive’s development expenditure since 2013.

Mr Ouko queried the motive and means used by the county executive in cancelling and re-awarding tenders for heavy capital projects in the county since 2013.

The report indicated that the Mandera County executive entered into an agreement with Frontier Engineering Company Ltd on July 1, 2014.

The contract for road construction was to expire on June 30, 2019 was extended under unclear circumstances. On April 2, 2014, some Sh290 million was awarded to Green County Construction Company Ltd to build the county headquarters.

The contractor was expected to finish the work by October 30, 2015 but on December 18, 2017, the Public Works and Roads chief officer terminated the contract, citing non-performance.

The contractor had used Sh166 million and Sh192 million remained to be paid.

The contract was re-awarded to Bima Investment Ltd on March 5, 2018 for Sh455 million.

The County Rest House contract, awarded to Diwafa Investment Company Ltd on April 2, 2014 for Sh294 million, was also terminated.

Mohamed Mohamud and Sons Construction Company Ltd was re-awarded the same contract for Sh309 million.

Both Governor Roba and Roads, Public Works and Transport executive Ahmed Sheikh Mohamed postponed several scheduled interviews with the Nation meant to discuss these projects.

This story is part of a series on the millions of shillings governors are splashing on palatial residences. 

In case you missed it, read about Amason Kingi's Sh140m beachfront Kilifi property 

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