KICC Facelift Under Scrutiny as Senators Demand Accountability for Sh1.9 Billion

Senators have demanded a full account of how Sh1.9 billion set aside to renovate the Kenyatta International Convention Centre was spent, after questioning why the state-owned facility remains poorly maintained despite the refurbishment.

The renovation was carried out to prepare the Nairobi landmark for major international summits, including the Africa Climate Summit. Parliamentary committees have separately been examining concerns over inflated contract costs tied to the project.

Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei raised the issue in the Senate, questioning how a facility that received such substantial public investment continues to suffer from poor maintenance and sanitation problems.

Cherargei called on the Senate Committee on Trade, Industrialisation and Tourism to provide a detailed breakdown of how the renovation funds were deployed and to establish whether taxpayers received value for the amount spent.

Lawmakers also want an explanation for what they described as abrupt changes in the security providers contracted to guard the facility, a shift senators said had not been adequately communicated to the public.

The committee has additionally been tasked with reporting on KICC's current revenue performance, along with a timeline and budget for restoring the building to acceptable operating standards.

KICC has long served as one of Kenya's most recognisable public buildings, hosting major conferences, government functions and international delegations since its construction in the 1970s. Its condition carries symbolic weight beyond its function as a conference venue.

The scrutiny adds to a pattern of parliamentary oversight over large public infrastructure contracts in Kenya, where lawmakers have increasingly pressed government agencies to justify renovation and construction costs against the physical results delivered.

Questions over contract inflation on public buildings have surfaced repeatedly in recent years, with legislators arguing that the gap between reported expenditure and visible outcomes points to weak project oversight rather than isolated incidents.

The Senate committee has not yet set a date for its report back to the chamber. Senators indicated they expect KICC management to appear before the committee to respond directly to the concerns raised.