Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka could move into a Sh383 million palatial residence built by the government in December.
The complex in a 10-acre land comprises of a main house, office block, guesthouse, gazebo/gym, garage/generator house, swimming pool and comptroller’s unit.
It also has security unit with an armoury, domestic staff quarters, pergola walkway, pump house, water treatment plant, water borehole and low level water tank.
Public Works minister Chris Obure and permanent secretary John Lonyangapuo inspected the complex at Karen in Nairobi and announced they were satisfied with the quality of construction work.
Contractor Vittorio Veneziani said the residence is 85 percent complete and that it would be ready for occupation and handed over to the government on December 13.
“We are quite happy with the quality of work. What is remaining is finishing. We are confident all work will be completed in two months time and handed over to the government,” Mr Obure said.
He said Mr Musyoka could move into the new residence by Christmas.
“The residence is meant for holder of position of VP only if he wishes to move in. We expect him to move in by December,” Mr Obure said.
This is the second residence the government is constructing for the country’s VP after former President Moi turned an official house he occupied at Kabarnet Gardens into private property. Kabarnet Gardens is currently hosting Moi Africa Institute.
Mr Obure discounted suggestions that even the new residence could be taken over saying “this particular one is specific for the VP".
Mr Obure said the government has since paid Sh202 million out of the Sh383 million and defended the cost saying it is good value for money.
“When people talked about a house for VP they envisaged a single building but this is a complex sitting on 10 acres of land,” Mr Obure said.
The government resolved to construct the official residence of the VP in 2005 before the tender was given to Dimken Kenya Ltd to carry out the works at Sh197 million.
The contract was later terminated due to non-performance and the works given to Italbuild Imports with the costs doubling to Sh383 million.
On Wednesday, Mr Obure said the government had recovered all the money that had been paid to Dimken’s through security bonds signed by banks although the issue was still under arbitration.
Source- http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/Kenya+VP+Sh380m+home+nears+completion/-/1064/1254304/-/bn1h1az/-/index.html
The frontal view of the Vice President’s official residence sitting on a ten-acre piece of land in Karen
