EACC investigations against the Kisumu Mall hinders clients to occupy it, Senate Committee says.
By Dickson Odhiambo.
August 30, 2019.
EACC investigations
against the Kisumu Mall hinders clients to occupy it, Senate Committee says.
The endless investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption
Commission is to largely blame for Kisumu’s Lake Basin Development Authority
Mall staying nearly empty without clients occupying, a Senate Committee has
said.
The Senate Committee on Devolution and Inter-Governmental
relations claim that the Anti-graft body is to blame for the multi-Billion mall
located along Kisumu-Kakamega Highway not to have tenants after its completion
simply because of the investigations it is carrying out about alleged inflation
of its costs to about shs 3.86 Billion from 2.5Billion during its construction.
Addressing the press at the facility in Kisumu today, the
Committee led by its Chairman Kinyua Nderitu said the investigations which have
been carried out by the EACC has greatly hampered the intention of investors to
put up their investments there due to fear of instability.
The committee chair say the mall is complete nearly 99 and
is ready for the various clients to occupy it to do various businesses.
“Even if there are investigations in regard to the
construction of the Lake Basin Mall in Kisumu it cannot be carried out for five
years as EACC has done it,” the Committee Chair says.
He says the Committee is not against investigations by the
EACC about the mall but the pace in which it is done is worrying.
The Committee says already some clients have put up their
businesses at the mall, adding that there fears is about the endless
investigations which seems to be hindering others from coming for more
investments.
“We want development in our counties and if such like a
thing is happening that hinders investors to come here then we are not heading
anywhere,” he adds.
Kisumu Senator Fred Outa who is a member of the Committee
says there are a lot of rumors going round that the mall has not been
completed, adding that this is not true at all as the mall has been completed
and handed over to the Lake Basin Development Authority in 2016.
Outa says the major obstacle is the EACC which has been
doing endless investigations in regard to the mall, adding that the
investigations are suspects.
Outa claims that some powerful forces are eyeing the mall to
be sold to some private entities, adding that this will never happen so long as
he is still the senator of Kisumu County.
“The management is saying the project is complete 99 percent
and anytime they try to look for clients then the EACC comes in with
investigations hence this scares investors,” Outa says.
Outa urges the Government to give funds from the National
Treasury so as help in offsetting the Loan borrowed.
Senator Boniface Kabaka of Machakos and a member of the
Committee has called for the disbandment of the EACC, adding that the MPs and
Senators will fully support such a motion if brought before Parliament.
Calvince Odoyo Owidi, Lake Basin Development Authority
Chairman has maintained that there is no money lost as a result of the
construction of the mall.
He says if there were financial impropriety on the matter,
then it should have been investigated within six months.
Nominated Senator Rose Nyamunga says the investigations
conducted by the EACC should be concluded, adding investigations can’t take
five years.
“If there are people being investigated in regard to the
mall and they are culpable, then let them be taken to court and the activities
at the mall continue because it will employ a number of people,” Nyamunga says.
ENDS:
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