The government has issued a stern warning to contractors who overcommit by taking on more public projects than they can competently deliver, vowing to blacklist firms stalling development through inefficiency and overstretched capacity.
Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Delivery and Government Efficiency, Mr. Eliud Owalo, delivered the tough message during a week-long inspection and verification tour of national development projects in Kisii and Nyamira counties.
“We are witnessing a worrying trend where some contractors are biting off more than they can chew,” said Mr. Owalo on Thursday. “They aggressively pursue numerous tenders, quote unrealistically low prices to win bids, and ultimately struggle to deliver. We will not allow public resources to be tied up in non-performing contracts.”
Owalo emphasized that any contractor who persistently underperforms due to overstretching capacity would be flagged for possible blacklisting signaling a renewed push for accountability and performance-based contracting.
His remarks came during a wide-ranging government mission to assess the status of key infrastructure, health, housing, and education projects across the two counties. The initiative brought together officials from the Government Delivery Unit (GDU), engineers, county administrators, and security agencies.
In Kisii County, the inspection began with the Kisii By-Pass Phase II (32% complete), a Ksh.847 million project aimed at easing traffic and improving inter-county trade. The team also reviewed affordable housing schemes, including the Nyanchwa project (21% complete, 189 units) and the Nyaribari Masaba project (13% complete, 240 units).
Other major projects included the 75km Bomachoge Chache Roads (77.5% complete at a Ksh.3.5 billion cost), the fully completed 9.7 km Nyasembe–Etago–Kenyenya Roads, and the 65% complete Riosiri–Ikoba–Gotichaki Loop Roads. In addition, the Etago ESP Market (34%) and the Kisii University lecture theatre (94%) showcased visible progress.
Significantly, the team flagged inconsistencies between official reports and actual site progress. “What is in official records must be consistent with physical evidence on the ground,” Owalo warned, underscoring the government’s demand for transparency.
In Nyamira County, the delegation inspected the completed 12.3 km Kebirigo–Gesima–Mosobeti–Metamaywa Road by KeNHA, and the nearly finished Nyansiongo Modern Market (98% complete), valued at Ksh.195 million.
Key highlights included the Borabu Roads upgrade (60.1 km at 16.9% complete), the advanced Keroka Level IV Hospital (98% complete), and the Gekano–Nyangori–Rigoma–Moturmesi–Birongo Road (30% complete, 33.3 km).
The team also assessed school infrastructure development worth Ksh.1.4 billion across 68 institutions, and the Ksh.750 million County Aggregation and Industrial Park in Sironga, now at 30% completion.
Owalo’s tour reinforced the administration’s commitment to fast-tracking the delivery of public goods through strict oversight, accurate reporting, and unwavering performance standards.
“The days of paper progress and phantom milestones are over. We are aligning government records with ground realities,” he stated. “Any deviation will attract serious consequences.”
The nationwide push forms part of President William Ruto’s broader vision to streamline public project implementation and deliver tangible results for citizens.
