Sh300M Turkana Governor Residence Stalls as Contractor Exits Site

Construction of the official residence for the Governor of Turkana has hit another major setback. The contractor engaged for completion works has exited the site, leaving the project unfinished after consuming nearly Sh300 million in public funds.

The project, which has spanned over a decade, was intended to provide an official residential complex in Lodwar. Former governor Josphat Nanok’s administration initiated the build, but progress stalled repeatedly across consecutive county leadership terms.

An initial contractor abandoned the site after receiving more than Sh206 million. That phase produced only the foundational works and a basic structural frame before operations grounded to a halt.

To rescue the project, the Turkana County Government later contracted Landmark Holdings Limited during the 2019/2020 financial year. The secondary agreement, valued at Sh90.5 million, focused on completing the remaining building elements and interior fit-outs.

That effort has now collapsed through a mutual termination agreement. The firm cited prolonged payment delays and severe cash flow constraints as primary reasons for relinquishing the contract before completing the remaining works.

The departure leaves current Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai residing in his private home. Turkana taxpayers remain without a functional asset despite hundreds of millions allocated toward civil construction and site infrastructure over multiple fiscal years.

The Senate Public Accounts Committee previously flagged the site during audit inspections. Lawmakers raised concerns over severe budget expansion and questioned the physical value delivered on the ground relative to cumulative expenditure records.

Site assessments revealed that early structural elements are deteriorating due to exposure and disuse. Fixtures, wall finishes, and exterior works remain incomplete, requiring fresh procurement audits before another contractor can assume site possession.

County authorities must now reconcile outstanding accounts with the outgoing firm. Re-tendering the remaining structural, electrical, and finishing scopes will further delay project delivery and push final expenditure past original budget projections.

The complex stands alongside the stalled county headquarters as one of Turkana's most prolonged infrastructure developments, underlining persistent capital management challenges facing large-scale public building projects across regional governments.