The Siaya county government will put up a multi-million shilling new office complex within the next six months, deputy governor James Okumbe has said.
Speaking during the ground breaking ceremony at the county government headquarters, Okumbe said that the complex that will gobble up Sh74.95 million will house the staff working under the governance department that comprises the office of the governor and his deputy.
He said that the project had been hastened so as to meet the national government’s deadline to the counties to finalize the construction of county headquarters by the end of this financial year.
Okumbe said that during the construction period, the office of the governor and his deputy will be temporarily moved to the Siaya agricultural training centre, from where the public will be served.
The deputy governor called on the contractor, Abelard Enterprises Company to ensure that he sourced labour and materials locally so as to boost the local economy.
The ground breaking ceremony of the office complex comes two months after the county government held a similar event for construction of a 20,000 sitter capacity Siaya stadium whose construction, however, never kicked off to date.
Presiding over the ground breaking ceremony for the stadium on 15th November, 2018, Siaya governor, Cornel Rasanga said his government will spend Sh394, 661,767 on the project that was to take 44 weeks.
The stalling of the project, immediately after launch has seen residents question the performance of the county government.
According to the residents, there was need for the county government to give priority to recreational facilities.
Speaking to KNA, Mr Benard Onyango, a member of the Siaya Bunge la Mwananchi challenged the devolved unit leadership to move with speed towards ensuring that Siaya town is not only made an administrative and business centre, but also a recreational hub.
Onyango said they are considering filing a petition to the Siaya county assembly, through the office of the Township ward MCA to have the county government establish parks and recreational facilities in the town.
By Philip Onyango
