Teso North: Teso North MP Oku Kaunya has issued a 14-day ultimatum to contractors in the constituency involved in stalled and substandard projects, mandating them to complete the works within two weeks or face legal action. He has warned that contractors who fail to meet this deadline will be sued for violating the contract terms and will face legal consequences.
According to Kenya News Agency, speaking at Moding High School during the commissioning of a 3.5 million school library, Kaunya emphasized that all stalled projects in the constituency must be completed within the stipulated time frame. He stated that the Teso North NG-CDF office is prepared to take legal action against non-compliant contractors and will advocate for their blacklisting from future projects.
Kaunya further warned contractors who consistently underperformed or failed to complete projects on time that they risk being blacklisted and barred from future government contracts. He underscored that such inefficiencies undermine the government's commitment to timely service delivery and erode public trust.
The legislator noted that despite the NG-CDF Teso North issuing over 50 projects, including classrooms and other social amenities, an inspection revealed that only five classrooms were ready for use, even though schools received timely allocations for these projects. His comments come amid the constituency's RRI program aimed at enhancing school infrastructure to meet the needs of grade 10 learners early next year.
Kaunya also cautioned school principals against colluding with contractors in ways that compromise project quality and deprive students of a competitive advantage. He suggested that the Teso North CDF office may implement a policy framework to limit the number of projects a contractor can bid for simultaneously to prevent delays caused by capacity issues.
Additionally, Kaunya urged parents to fulfill their responsibilities by paying school fees, highlighting that schools like Moding High School have fee arrears amounting to 7.5 million. He questioned how schools can operate effectively with such financial deficits.
The sentiments were echoed by ACK Katakwa Diocese Bishop John Okude, who criticized parents for their lack of support, emphasizing that education requires collaboration among parents, teachers, and learners. KUPPET SG Busia Moffart Okisai encouraged teachers to improve the status of education in the county and avoid engaging in blame games, stressing the importance of utilizing available resources to nurture learners.