Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Wednesday, November 15, jumped to the defense of Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
Referring to the recent debate over the leak at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Gachagua shifted the blame to mistakes made in the previous administration.
In his speech during the 30th Institution of Engineers of Kenya Convention in Mombasa, the DP affirmed that the state of JKIA was a reflection of past errors in design and construction.
According to him, the government spent massive taxpayers’ resources in renovating the airport, yet the facilities were still not standard.
“JKIA was done at a massive cost but today it is a massive shame to this profession of engineers and architects,” Gachagua stated.
“Public resources were expended but when you go there you will feel sorry. I agree with the CS,” he added.
As such, he proposed the adoption of stringent measures to govern the quality of work delivered by professionals in government projects.
According to him, instituting measures to hold professionals involved in government projects accountable would help to avoid subs-standard projects.
Also Read: Govt Gives Update on JKIA After Uproar
“We need to look at the law where professionals are held accountable for lapses and for misleading the taxpayers by certifying shoddy jobs, and possibly they become culpable criminally, I think that would help the country,” the DP stated.
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In a subsequent statement, the DP affirmed the government’s commitment to partnering with various regulators in weeding out quacks in the profession.
He assured that the Kenya Kwanza administration would continue engaging with professionals and strengthening institutions for the prosperity of Kenya.
The remarks came against the backdrop of an uproar sparked by CS Murkomen’s remarks that the former regime headed by Uhuru Kenyatta was to blame for some challenges at the JKIA.
Also Read: It Wasn’t Me- Murkomen Responds to JKIA Leaking Roofs
Lately, the airport has been on the spot for- among others- lack of standby generators to restore power in cases of power outage.
The challenges, coupled with complaints over congestion of passengers in the airport have exposed the state of the facilities in Kenya’s most busy and critical airport.
In a statement on Wednesday, November 15, the Kenya Airport’s Authority (KAA) detailed plans to expand the airport’s runway and passengers’ terminal in the current financial year.