Contractors in Nyamira County suffered a blow after Governor John Nyagarama cancelled all tenders and engaged a state-run agency, the Mechanical Trust Fund, which will now work on county roads.
Nyagarama took the step after a long battle involving the award of tenders which according to the Governor, had attracted huge interest from a section of MCAs who run private civil works companies, some members of the Executive and even relatives of the various officials working in the concerned roads and procurement departments.
The governor, however, said his decision to bar local contractors from getting the tenders, was prompted by the poor workmanship that all the contractors who were previously contracted to do public works had exhibited.
The county boss said he will order a fresh audit of all the listed contractors to ensure only the quality contractors are re-enlisted for future projects.
"I had trusted the local contractors to do the best work but if one goes round the county to assess them, their performance is seriously wanting and we cannot continue entertaining them at the expense of the ordinary residents who want good work to be done for ease of movement," said Nyagarama.
The Governor revealed the shocking move after he participated at the Nyamira County Assembly's 2016-17 budget proposals.