A blame game and a series of incomplete projects that continue to reflect poorly on Nakuru

When it comes to development, particularly the completion of unfinished projects within the county, there seems to be a clear disconnect between the national and county governments, with neither willing to take responsibility for these unfinished projects.

This problem became apparent when Mtaa Wangu covered the Ndarugu-Soimet Bridge when heavy rains were wreaking havoc across the country. The situation became so dire that residents took matters into their own hands and built a makeshift bridge.

To understand the problem, we contacted both the county and national governments. The area's Member of Parliament, Samuel Arama, acknowledged the problem but placed the responsibility on the county government.

"The bridge is the responsibility of the county government. Funds were allocated for its construction this year and we're still waiting for the disbursement," he said.

However, the County Roads Executive, Eng. Michael Kamau, offered a conflicting perspective, claiming that the project was under the jurisdiction of the national government.

"Ideally, the road and bridge fall under the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA). They should liaise with the county MP to allocate funds for this project. As a county, we've only stepped in to help; for example, we once provided an excavator to help clear the bridge. Unfortunately, the repairs didn't last long," he explained.

Mtaa Wangu conducted its investigation and found a KeRRA tender dated July 2024 for the Church of God-Ndarugu Road, valued at Sh8.2 million. When contacted, KeRRA claimed that the tender was only for road maintenance and reiterated that the bridge project was a matter for the county government.

In a separate case, the long-promised Sh47 million market near the Nakuru-Kabarak road remains unbuilt, raising further concerns about the government's priorities. Despite promises to support small-scale traders, the project remains a pipe dream.

The market, located near the revamped Nakuru Giotto dumpsite, has become another flashpoint in the tug-of-war between the county and national governments.

When contacted for clarification, Nakuru Town West MP Samuel Arama remarked, "Markets are devolved - talk to the county government."

He further explained that the national government had provided grants for such projects, which were to be handed over to the county government upon completion.

However the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Commerce, Cooperatives, Tourism and Culture, Stephen Kuria, refuted these claims, stating:

"That is not true. It is a national government project. We don't know the cost and we don't have any documents on this market. If it had been handed over, we would have allocated it to the traders as we've done with other markets such as Naivasha Modern Market and Nasha Market," Mr Kuria said.

As the two levels of government continue their standoff, traders who had been eagerly waiting for the market to open are left in limbo.

The Sh47 million continues to investment sits idle, vulnerable to vandalism and neglect, as taxpayers bear the brunt of government inefficiency.