Hope revived for the constrution of Gikomba fire station
The construction of the long-anticipated Gikomba and Kangemi fire stations is on the horizon as the missing funds from the Sh120 million budget allocated for the two projects have been clarified.
County Disaster Management and Coordination Chief Officer, Mr Bramwel Simiyu, confirmed this development during a media briefing at City Hall on Wednesday, November 29.
Simiyu addressed the earlier controversy surrounding a letter from his office to Finance and Planning counterpart Ms Asha Abdi, reporting the alleged disappearance of Sh15,658,500 million.
Simiyu clarified that during routine monitoring of departmental funds, he noticed a significant gap that required immediate attention from Ms Abdi.
The letter gained attention and sought clarification on the transfer of Sh15,658,500 from a budget of Sh120,000 earmarked for constructing the two fire stations.
In the letter dated November 10, Simiyu expressed concern about unauthorised transactions affecting their ability to deliver on committed programs and potentially leading to audit queries or loss of public funds.
He mentioned unauthorised invoicing using the Emergency Fund for firms with no known engagements with the sector.
Addressing the matter on Thursday, November 30, Simiyu stated, “I’m happy to report that the issue has been resolved. In fact, the funds that had been reallocated from the budget were reversed, and now we have access to the full budget to be able to undertake that task.”
While not delving into the specifics of how funds were reallocated without his knowledge, Simiyu assured that the internal mechanisms of their department identified and addressed the issue. He emphasised that thousands of transactions occur in the IFMIS system, and the hiccup was identified and rectified.
With the reclaimed funds, the department has initiated the procurement process for the construction of the two fire stations, targeting completion within the current financial year.
Gikomba market, a major hub in the East African Community, has faced persistent fire outbreaks, and Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja promised the construction of a fire station within to mitigate losses in such situations.