A number of multi-million-shilling projects within the Malindi Municipality have stalled due to the Corona virus Disease (Covid-19) pandemic, the Municipal Manager, Silas Ngundo has said.
According to Ngundo, the projects that have had to be suspended include the Malindi Beach Front Beautification Project, whose implementation has not been going on for several months.
He said phase one of the project that is being implemented jointly by the County Government of Kilifi and development partners may not be completed by the end of December 2020 as envisaged due to the pandemic.
Ngundo said some Sh. 94 million had been budgeted for the project meant to beautify the beach from the Vasco da Gamma’s Pillar to the Sabaki Bridge – a stretch of more than 10 kilometres, with a view to attracting tourists.
It is believed that the funds meant for the project were diverted to the fight against the novel disease that has brought the local and global economies to their knees.
“Many projects in this town have stalled following challenges posed by the pandemic because many materials that were supposed to be sourced from outside the country have not come due to travel challenges,” he told the Kenya News Agency in a phone interview on Tuesday.
Also affected by the pandemic are several roads within the county, whose works have either been suspended or are going on at a slower speed.
The Malindi Beach Front Project was designed like the Mama Ngina Water Front Project in Mombasa and is a joint venture between the National Government and the County Government of Kilifi.
However, phase one of the project, is supposed to be funded by the devolved government, with the National Government, expected to come in later in conjunction with international development partners such as the World Bank.
A spot check at the Buntwani Beach where the first phase of the project is being implemented however revealed that some work was going on though on a smaller scale.
A representative of the contractor, Israel Olale said work resumed two weeks ago and discounted the claim that the project had stalled.
“We have been here for the last two weeks and today we fixed these two windows,” he said and expressed hope that funds would be availed to complete the phase within the contract period.
By Emmanuel Masha
