Concerns over the cost and outcome of a borehole rehabilitation project at Kongoni Primary School in Lang’ata Constituency have prompted a parliamentary committee to demand a clear breakdown of how Sh5 million was used, amid questions on why the facility remains unused years after the work was completed.
The issue was raised before the National Assembly Decentralized Funds Accounts Committee during a review of financial records for Lang’ata Constituency spanning the 2016/17 to 2022/23 financial years. The matter had earlier been highlighted by the Office of the Auditor-General, leading to further examination by lawmakers.
Records presented to the committee indicate that Sh5,000,000 was released to a management committee account to support the rehabilitation of an existing borehole at Kongoni Primary School. The borehole had been drilled and fitted in 2003 by the Ministry of Water and Irrigation but was never officially commissioned or put into use. Over the years, parts of the installation were damaged through vandalism.
Even after rehabilitation works were carried out, the facility has not served the school community. This is partly because water quality test results from samples taken in January 2022 by the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company were not relayed to the school administration. As a result, the water has not been cleared for use by pupils.
The audit further pointed out gaps in documentation. Key records such as the certificate of completion and handover minutes were not made available for review. A physical inspection carried out on March 8, 2023, confirmed that the borehole is still not in operation.
During the session, the committee chair, Gideon Mulyungi, expressed concern over the amount spent, questioning whether the rehabilitation offered value for money given the results.
“It is unbelievable that Sh5 million can be used to rehabilitate a single borehole. That amount is enough to construct two or three new boreholes,” said Hon. Mulyungi.
The former fund manager who handled the project explained to the committee that the work was carried out based on recommendations from a technical team that approved the Bill of Quantities. She noted that the scope of the project included additional components such as water storage tanks and tower structures.
Following the discussions, the committee instructed that the Bill of Quantities, contracts, and all related supporting documents be submitted within seven days to enable further review of the expenditure.
In a separate observation, the committee praised Kibra Constituency for maintaining proper financial records and effective fund management, urging other constituencies to adopt similar practices.